Method for ultrastructural fine details of plant cuticles by transmission electron microscopy

This method for plant cuticles was adapted from spores and pollen procedure. It already enabled to prepare ultrathin plant cuticle sections of 60–70 nanometers of thickness, in high numbers as a routine, and allowed statistical measurements as any other macro- and/or micro-features. It provides through transmission electron microscope clean and contrasted observations of layers and sublayers of the cuticle, at a magnification over 100,000 times. It has been used efficiently for taxonomy, signature of environment and evolution topics since the end of the nineties (Gaëtan Guignard, 2019), however it is detailed here step by step for the first time, and illustrated. It can serve in the future for many purposes, like other taxonomical comparisons, palaeoreconstructions and evolutionary considerations. Value of the protocol: • This method provides ultrathin plant cuticle sections of 60–70 nanometers of thickness; • Details of layers and sublayers of the cuticle are easily observed; • High numbers of sections allows statistical measurements as a routine.