Fig. 2

The embedded specimen and the three mounting and trimming modes for cutting transverse and longitudinal sectioning of PTs. a Cured resin sticks to the glass slide after separation from the mould. b Higher magnification of specimen showing the pistil and the PTs in the cured resin. c shows mode 1 for cutting and gluing sample onto resin block, and the corresponding block after trimming with the pistil removed (d) or left on (e). Mode 1 allows to cut transverse sections from the shank towards the tip of PTs. f shows mode 2 of cutting and gluing and the corresponding block after trimming in top view (g) and side view (h). In mode 2, transverse sections are cut from the tip towards the shank of PTs. In (g), hardened Araldite layer is distinguished from the specimen in the centre. i shows mode 3 of cutting and gluing samples onto the resin block and the corresponding trimmed block (j), allowing to cut longitudinal sections of PTs; the pistil is trimmed away. Scale bar: C–J = 500 μm