美登木(Maytenus hookeri Loes)及密花美登木(M.confertiflorus J.Y.Lo et C.Y.Cheng)的茎和叶含有抗癌成分美登碱(Maytensine),目前用为提取生物碱的原料。 作者研究了这两种植物的茎和叶的形态和组织特征,作了比较和描述。研究证明,它们的外形和组织构造极为相似,但可根据茎的颜色、叶片外形、叶柄的长度及其维管束横切面以及射线的高度加以区别。 The stems and leaves of Maytenus hookeri Loes and M. conferriaflorus J.Y. Lo et C.Y. Cheng contain the anticancer ingredient Maytensine, which is currently used as a raw material for the extraction of alkaloids. The authors studied the morphological and tissue characteristics of stems and leaves of these two plants and compared and described them. Studies have shown that their shape and structure are very similar, but can be distinguished based on the color of the stem, the shape of the blade, the length of the petiole, and the cross section of the vascular bundle and the height of the ray.