Floral Ontogenetic Evidence in Support of the Willdenowia Clade of South African Restionaceae.
Journal Article
2001
Permanent link to this Item
Authors
Journal Title
Journal of Plant Research
Link to Journal
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer
Publisher
University of Cape Town
License
Series
Abstract
The floral development of a number of representative
genera of the Willdenowia clade of Restionaceae was studied
to understand patterns of reduction of floral elements
and sample evidence for discussing the relationships of the
group. All species studied are characterized by a concordant
reductive trend involving the retardation/reduction of
the perianth, the loss of the anterior carpel and the displacement
of the remaining carpels, linked with a strongly compressed
spikelet. Different modes of carpel reduction,
such as a progressive or immediate loss, or fusion of two
neighboring carpels, are presented and discussed. The
most parsimonious event of gynoecium evolution for the
Willdenowia clade is either the sterilization of two carpels in
an originally trimerous gynoecium, followed by the loss of
the anterior carpel, or the sudden loss of the anterior carpel,
preceeding the sterilization of one lateral carpel. The
concordant development of the taxa of the Wi//denowia
clade supports a one-time loss of a carpel and the homogeneity
of the clade.
Description
Reference:
Decraene, L. P. R., Linder, P. H., & Smets, E. F. (2001). Floral ontogenetic evidence in support of the Willdenowia clade of South African Restionaceae. Journal of plant research, 114(3), 329-342.