凤仙花属种子形态及其在分类学上的意义

本文首次记载了对分布于峨眉山的凤仙花属Impatiens 12种植物的种子表面显微结构的观察, 并分析了种子表面形态在该属种水平上的分类价值及可能的系统学意义。种皮表层细胞特化、排列方 式、隆起状态、种脊上近合点端的突起、种子末端附属物的有无及其形态等性状被视为凤仙花属种子表 面的主要特征。依据这些性状12种凤仙花种子形态分为两种类型：1．种子表面光滑,无明显大、小细胞 分化。如白花凤仙I．wilsoni可能具3沟花粉凤仙花的种子形态的特点。2．表面粗糙,有明显大、小细 胞的分化及不同程度的细胞隆起,并呈现出多种特异形态．这代表了以一年生草本,4沟花粉为特点的 凤仙花种子形态特征。种子特征与植物体习性、花形态及花粉形态相关,在一定程度上反映了属内类群的分化,因而在凤仙花科、属的分类和系统研究中是不可忽视的性状。     

国产菟丝子属种子形态的观察

本文观察了中国产菟丝子属种子的形态和种皮表面的超微结构。菟丝子属种子表面特征如下： 种脐呈衣领状突起或与晕轮面平齐或下陷;晕轮细胞呈近放射状排列或网状排列或不规则排列;种皮 表面呈条纹状纹饰或脑纹状纹饰或网状纹饰,纹饰上有时具瘤状突起或块状附属物。根据上述特征,可将菟丝子属种子分成三种类型。种皮纹饰可作为分类鉴定和种子检疫的依据。     

苦草属植物雄花果实种子显微结构的研究

苦草属植物体外部形态相似,叶线行或带形,野外难以直接鉴定到种,而雄花雄蕊数目、果实和种子的显微结构是苦草属(Vallisneria)植物物种的鉴别性特征之一。苦草属物种的雄花小,仅有1.5 mm,人工解剖雄花观察方法难以实现雄花雄蕊数目的识别;本研究采用雄株雄佛焰苞水培预培养技术获取自然开放的雄花并利用解剖学显微镜对3种苦草属植物雄花、果实和种子进行了解剖观察和研究。显微结构观察表明,苦草(V. natans)雄蕊1枚,果实圆柱形,表面光滑,种子无翅,具纵条纹;刺苦草(V. spinulosa)雄蕊2枚,果实三棱形,棱上具刺,种子具翅;密刺苦草(V. denseserrulata)雄蕊2枚,果实三棱圆柱形,表面光滑,种子无翅。依据文献,密刺苦草、刺苦草、长梗苦草(V. longipedunculata)和安徽苦草(V. anhuiensis)是安徽苦草属新分布记录种,其中长梗苦草和安徽苦草是分布于安徽的新种。     

春黄菊族6属植物种子的微形态特征

应用光学显微镜和扫描电镜对春黄菊族6属10种的种子微形态特征进行了比较观察。结果表明:10种种子在种子形态、表面纹饰、脐处的喙状突起、种子端的衣领状环等方面都表现出丰富的多样性,例如茼蒿的穴状和芫荽菊的细胞状纹饰等,具有明显的属级水平上的分类特征;在系和种级水平上,微形态特征虽有相似性,但仍具有一定的分类学价值,如龙蒿系圆头蒿的沟壑状纹饰和猪毛蒿系猪毛蒿的搓板状纹饰等。说明春黄菊族植物丰富的种子微形态特征在其系统分类中具有重要的参考价值;本研究结果支持栉叶蒿属、紊蒿属、茼蒿属独立成属的观点。     

五味子属种子形态及其分类学意义

用光学显微镜及扫描电镜对五味子属（Schisandra)10种96号样品的种子宏观形态和种皮的微观形态特征进行观察,首次对该属的种皮微观形态特征进行系统报道,并编排有分种检索表。研究结果表明：该属的种子宏观形态呈现平滑、细皱纹或瘤状突起,并认为五味子属种子形态可有从平滑到有细皱纹再到有瘤状突起的演化趋势;该属种皮表面微观形态可分为疣状突起型和网纹型。结合其它性状,本文认为网纹型所代表的两种植物应与本属中其它植物建立并列的分类单元。五味子属植物在种子形态特征上存在一定的差异,可为属以下、种以上的分类提供依据,并为探讨该属的系统演化提供有价值的参考资料。     

中国蔷薇属植物叶表皮微形态特征及其系统学意义

应用光学显微镜和电子显微镜,对30种中国蔷薇属植物叶表皮的微形态特征进行了观察。结果表明:叶表皮细胞一般为多边形或不规则形,垂周壁平直、平直弓状、波状、浅波状和深波状式样;该属植物的叶表皮细胞大小种间差异较大,总体来看上表皮几乎全为多边形细胞,且上表皮细胞比下表皮细胞略大;在扫描电镜下观察,大部分细胞的平周壁下陷,仅部分细胞的平周壁突起;叶表皮角质层纹饰多样、即使同一个种的上下表皮细胞角质层纹饰微形态特征也有差异;大多植物叶片表面具柔毛,均为单毛,有长柔毛和短柔毛,大部分种类的柔毛基部无特化,其基部由普通的表皮细胞围绕着,少部分种类的柔毛基部由几个特化的辐射状细胞围绕着,少数植物无毛;有些植物叶表面或叶脉上还分布有腺毛;除了单叶蔷薇亚属的小蘗叶蔷薇1个种的上下表皮均分布有气孔器外,其余蔷薇亚属的29种植物的气孔器均分布在下表皮,形状为椭圆形、宽椭圆形和长椭圆形三种,气孔器类型有无规则型、不规则四细胞型、对位四细胞型、环列型和辐射型;气孔器外拱盖内缘近平滑或呈深浅不同的波状、气孔器外拱盖纹饰光滑或粗糙,大多植物气孔器的保卫细胞两级T型加厚;另外,只有小蘗叶蔷薇的气孔器具双层外拱盖且仅上表皮被毛等特征也说明了其在演化上的特殊地位,蔷薇属植物叶表皮的这些微形态特征,在属内各组间无明确的规律性,但可为探讨该属种间的分类学及亲缘关系提供依据。     

螺序草属(茜草科)的花粉形态

首次对螺序草属(Spiradiclis B1.)的11种和1变型共16份植物的花粉样品在光镜和电镜下进行了观察。结果表明,本属植物花粉为单粒,小型和中型花粉,近球形至椭球形,辐射对称,常具3孔沟,偶为4孔沟,外壁表面纹饰为孔状。花粉外壁由不连续的具穿孔的覆盖层、柱状结构和基层组成,内外壁明显。此外,本属植物的花粉具有花粉2型和“芽状”结构的现象。螺序草属植物的花粉形态在属下分类上有一定的局限性,但是在个体的系统发育上却可以提供极有价值的信息,如具有花粉单型的种类比花粉二型的种类进化。     

五味子属植物种子形态特征及其分类学意义

在扫描电镜下观察了70多份五味子属种子样品,并拍摄了照片,其中34幅展示在文中。选取代表27个分类群,34个居群的36份种子样品,每份样品20粒,测量长、宽、厚,取平均值。采用“相对体积”这一新概念作为种子形态比较的一项指征。同时对种子整体照片所呈现的表面纹饰进行了分析归纳,将其分为4个类型：（1）平滑或基本平滑,（2）有明显的皱纹,或有或疏或密的疣状突起,（3）有密集而显著的乳头状突起,（4）密被不规则的、有结节的绳索状突起,突起物曲折蜿蜒,酷似哺乳动物的大脑。综合种子的大小、颜色、表面整体纹饰以及雄蕊群特征等分析的结果表明,少蕊组sect．Maximowiczia、五味子组sect．Schisandra和球蕊组sect．Sphaerostema的种子形态分别与其雄蕊群特征具有高度的相关性;而多蕊组sect．Pleiostema的情况稍微复杂一点,但种子形态与与其雄蕊群特征之间仍然有部分相关性。本文以种子的整体形态为基础讨论五味子属种子表面形态在该属分类上的意义。研究种子整体形态得到的证据与研究种子表面微形态得到的证据一致,不支持林祁（2000）和Saunders（2000）对五味子属的分类修订,也不支持刘玉壶（1996）将球蕊组sect．Sphaerostema划分成两个亚属的修订。     

羊蹄甲属植物种子表面微形态观察

利用光镜和扫描电镜对羊蹄甲属21种(含1亚种、2变种)的种子进行观察,结果显示,羊蹄甲属植物的种子颜色、形状和外种皮纹饰多样,还发现种脐位置、假种皮裂片、拟透镜状突起和种皮表面纹饰有一定的相关性:即没有假种皮裂片,拟透镜状突起在种子表面不明显,具网状纹饰的种子其种脐位于种子亚顶部的位置,而非顶部位置。此外,大部分羊蹄甲亚属种子的表面纹饰为皱波状,而显托亚属的纹饰没有皱波状纹饰,却以网状纹饰居多。分析认为,羊蹄甲属植物中种皮网纹状纹饰可能是比较进化的特征;并认为种脐在亚顶部位置,没有假种皮裂片,拟透镜状突起在表面不明显,具网状纹饰的种子应是羊蹄甲属内较进化的式样。     

黑龙江渐新世银杏大化石及其古气候和植物地理意义

首次报道我国渐新世银杏属植物叶化石。化石采自黑龙江汤原县太平川剖面宝泉岭组,角质层保存状态良好。叶为下气孔式。上表皮细胞垂周壁平直,平周壁较平。下表皮大量气孔器不规则地散布于脉间区,形成气孔带;气孔密度约为117个/mm2;气孔器为单环式,保卫细胞下陷,侧副卫细胞角质化强烈并形成乳突。当前材料的形态及显微构造特征与古近纪北半球广泛分布的铁线蕨型银杏Ginkgo adiantoides(Ung.)Heer emend.Flo-rin(auctorum multorum)基本一致。这是我国目前已知年代最新的银杏大化石记录,对于探究银杏属在我国新生代的分布、迁徙以及当时相关的古植物地理和气候环境等具有重要意义。     

Seed coat morphology and its systematic significance in Juncus L. (Juncaceae) in Egypt

The seed morphology of nine taxa of Juncus from Egypt has been investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy, to determine the importance of seed coat features as taxonomic characters. Macro- and micromorphological characters, including seed shape, color, size, seed appendages, epidermal cell shape, anticlinal boundaries, and outer periclinal cell wall and secondary cell wall sculpture are presented. Four types of seed appendages are recognized: (i) seeds with two appendages; (ii) seeds without appendages; (iii) seeds with minutely a piculate at one end; and (iv) seeds with minutely a piculate at both ends. Two types of anticlinal cell wall boundaries,(i) raised-channeled, straight and (ii) raised, straight or sinuous, and three different shapes of outer periclinal cell wall are described: (i) flat; (ii) concave; and (iii) flat to slightly concave. The secondary sculpture of the cell wall varies from striate to microreticulate or reticulate, and smooth to finely folded. Seed characters provide useful data for formulating the taxonomy of Juncus both on the subgeneric and sectional level. A key for the identification of the investigated taxa based on seed characters is provided.     

Seed coat morphology and its systematic significance in Juncus L. (Juncaceae)in Egypt

The seed morphology of nine taxa of Juncus from Egypt has been investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy,to determine the importance of seed coat features as taxonomic characters.Macro-and micromorphological characters,including seed shape,color,size,seed appendages,epidermal cell shape,anticlinal boundaries,and outer periclinal cell wall and secondary cell wall sculpture are presented.Four types of seed appendages are recognized:(i)seeds with two appendages;(ii)seeds without appendages;(iii)seeds with minutely a piculate at one end;and(iv)seeds with minutely a piculate at both ends.Two types of anticlinal cell wall boundaries,(i)raised-channeled,straight and(ii)raised,straight or sinuous,and three different shapes of outer periclinal cell wall are described:(i)flat;(ii)concave;and(iii)flat to slightly concave.The secondary sculpture of the cell wall varies from striate to microreticulate or reticulate,and smooth to finely folded.Seed characters provide useful data for formulating the taxonomy of Juncus both on the subgeneric and sectional level.A key for the identification of the investigated taxa based on seed characters is provided.     

Mericarp morphology and its systematic implications for the genus Salvia L. section Hymenosphace Benth. (Lamiaceae) in Turkey

Mericarp morphology of 15 taxa of Salvia L. section Hymenosphace Benth. in Turkey were investigated by light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to evaluate the utility of mericarp characters in systematic studies. Mericarps ranged from 2.50 to 5.38?mm in length and 2.04 to 4.70?mm in width. Mericarp shape was prolate-spheroid or near spherical with a length-to-width ratio of 1.02?C1.48. Transverse sections of the mericarps were rounded or rounded-trigonous. Mericarp surfaces presented colliculate, reticulate, verrucate or foveate sculpturing patterns, mostly as a result of the sculpturing of the exocarp cell walls with the pattern determined by whether the periclinal walls were concave or convex and whether the anticlinal walls were raised or sunken. Colliculate surface sculpturing (periclinal walls convex) was the most common among the taxa examined. The variation in the nature of surface sculpturing, mericarp shape and size, exocarp cell shape, nature of transverse sections and abscission scar diameter proved useful diagnostic characters. Variation was sufficient to distinguish taxa at species level, including morphologically similar species. Data provided here are also relevant to phylogenetic questions at higher levels within Salvia.     

Micromorphological studies on seeds of orobanche species from the iberian peninsula and the balearic islands, and their systematic significance

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Previous research has made clear the intrinsic taxonomic difficulties in identifying species in the genus Orobanche. The aim of this study, therefore, was to investigate the systematic utility of seed characteristics. METHODS: Light and scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the seeds of 33 taxa of Orobanche from the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. KEY RESULTS: Characters such as size, shape and ornamentation of the seeds were not found to be very useful in differentiation of taxa; however, other characters of the epidermal seed coat cells proved to be very helpful in this respect. Ornamentation of the periclinal walls could be used to discriminate four morphological types. Other features related to the anticlinal walls of the cells, such as thickness, presence/absence of a narrow trough, or relative depth, all contributed to the characterization of a large number of species. CONCLUSIONS: The usefulness of micromorphological studies on seeds of Orobanche in relation to differentiating taxa is demonstrated, and a key is provided to distinguish species or groups of species.     

Seed Epidermis Development and Histochemistry in Solanum melongena L. and S. violaceum Ort.

Structure, development and histochemistry of the seed epidermiswere studied inSolanum melongena L. andS. violaceum Ort. usinglight and scanning electron microscopy. The epidermal cellsat the endosperm mother cell stage of ovule development hadthickened outer periclinal walls, consisting of two layers,a thin inner layer, and a thick outer layer. The latter whichstained positively for pectic substances became further thickenedduring the course of seed development; more so inS. melongena.The inner layer of the outer periclinal wall also was thickenedby depositions of cellulose but remained comparatively thin.The development of the inner periclinal and anticlinal wallstook place by the uneven deposition of concentric layers. Thesesecondary wall thickenings which appeared as pyramids in transversesection stained for cellulose, lignin and pectin. Further unevensecondary thickenings near the outer part of the anticlinalwalls resulted in the formation of projections which were hair-or ribbon-like in appearance. InS. melongena, these projectionsprogressed only a short distance from the anticlinal wall. InS.violaceum, on the other hand, they grew much longer formingstriations on the inside of the outer periclinal wall. InS.melongena, partial removal of the outer periclinal wall by enzymeetching exposed to surface view a beaded appearance of the cellboundaries. Complete erosion of the outer periclinal wall revealedthe hair-like projections of the underlying anticlinal walls.InS. violaceum, enzyme treatment exposed the striations whichformed bridge-like structures over the curves in the anticlinalwalls. Solanum melongena ; Solanum violaceum; seed epidermis; seed structure; seed development; cell wall histochemistry; cell wall projections; cell wall striations     

Epidermal micromorphology of the genus Festuca L. subgenus Festuca (Poaceae)

Qualitative and some quantitative micromorphological characters of leaf blades, lemmas and paleas were examined using scanning electron microscopy for 29 species of Festuca subgenus Festuca, including the first observations on members of sections Amphigenes, Dimorphae and Cataphyllophorae. The aim of this study was to survey these features in the subgenus Festuca, to assess their taxonomical value. The observed patterns are compared with current taxonomic proposals based on molecular studies. The characters show important taxonomic value, mainly of the abaxial lemma. Characters showing the greatest variation are shape of long cells, shape of the periclinal walls, thickness of anticlinal walls, presence of prickles and abundance of silica bodies. The principal characters of the leaf-blade surfaces include the type and shape of short cells. Two different surface patterns were observed on the lemma, one, long cells rectangular to elongated, with flat to slightly convex periclinal walls and thickened anticlinal walls, for the sections Amphigenes and Dimorphae, and another, long cells rectangular to square, with concave periclinal walls and unthickened anticlinal walls, for the remaining sections. This study confirms the taxonomic value of micromorphological characters in the subgenus Festuca, and that abaxial lemma surface appears to be the most useful.     

Seed testa micromorphology of thirty‐eight species of Allium (Amaryllidaceae) from central Asia,and its taxonomic implications

Micromorphological characteristics of the seed testa of 38 species belonging to 19 sections and seven subgenera of Allium from central Asia have been evaluated with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Several taxonomically significant characters were found. The results showed that the epidermis consists of polygonal cells with different dimensions, that the cellular arrangement is tight or loose with or without reticulate tissue, and that the arrangement of cells is regular or irregular. The main variation was found in the anticlinal walls, of which the outline could be straight, straight to arched, arched or undulating like an S or U. Convex and (or) concave verrucate periclinal walls occurred in all species investigated. Based on the characteristics of the anticlinal and periclinal walls of the 38 species, six groups of Allium were distinguished, and a dichotomous key for them is presented. The cellular arrangement and periclinal and anticlinal wall traits of the 38 species of Allium were found stable and distinct within a species, but showed great differences among species. We conclude that seed epidermal characteristics provide useful and important information for distinguishing species of Allium, and thus they have taxonomic significance.     

The seeds of Loasaceae subfam. Loasoideae (Cornales) II: Seed morphology of “South Andean Loasas” (Loasa, Caiophora, Scyphanthus and Blumenbachia)

South Andean Loasas (Blumenbachia, Caiophora, Loasa, Scyphanthus) are a monophyletic group of taxa within Loasaceae subfam. Loasoideae, comprising some 100 species, 49 of which are investigated here. They retain a many-layered testa in the mature seeds and usually have passive transfer testas with complex, spongiose wall outgrowths. Additional modifications concern the undulations of the testa epidermis, presence or absence of the outer periclinal wall, secondary sculpturing, the presence or absence of spines, warts and finally spongiose structures on the anticlinal walls of the testa epidermis and the inner periclinal wall. Seeds of the widespread “deeply pitted” type are plesiomorphic, while various subclades of South Andean Loasas have derivations underscoring their relationships and confirming the relationships found with molecular markers and other morphological characters. The genus Blumenbachia has either seeds with a many-layered testa forming longitudinal lamellae (sect. Angulatae), or balloon seeds with a loose outer testa layer and spongiose wall outgrowths on the inner periclinal walls (sect. Blumenbachia and sect. Gripidea) and is clearly monophyletic. Loasa s.str. (ser. Loasa, ser. Macrospermae, ser. Floribundae, ser. Deserticolae) is characterized by the presence of a subterminal hilum or hilar scar and one subgroup (ser. Loasa, ser. Macrospermae) by very large and heavy seeds with a collapsed testa. L. ser. Pinnatae, ser. Acaules, ser. Volubiles, Scyphanthus and Caiophora share more or less one seed types with minor modifications. Within Caiophora various derivations are observed, of which the gradual loss of the secondary sculpture of the inner periclinal wall is the most striking one. Anemochoria is the most widespread dispersal mechanism in South Andean Loasas and is achieved in at least five structurally different ways.     

Seed morphology in Southern AfricanOrchidoideae (Orchidaceae)

The seed morphology of 151 species of Southern AfricanOrchidoideae (Orchideae andDiseae; sensuDressler 1981) was studied by means of scanning electron microscopy. Two different seed types were found. (1) In the majority of species the seeds are minute and fusiform. The seed coat is made up of comparatively few concave and elongate testa cells with straight or slightly undulate and generally unthickened anticlinal cell walls. The seed type was here termed Satyrium-type. While most species are very similar in the ornamentation of the periclinal walls of their seed coat, considerable variation was found inHolothrix where two distinct groups can be recognized in this respect. (2) A remarkably different seed type was observed inDisa uniflora and three apparently closely related species (Disa uniflora-type), where large balloon-like seeds occur. Their seed coat consists of convex cells with undulate anticlinal walls. It is suggested that this seed type is a derived condition and has evolved in adaptation to the specialized habitat alongside streams. The possibility of hydrochory in these four species is briefly discussed.     

Systematic significance of seed coat morphology inSilene L. s. str. (sileneae-caryophyllaceae) from Korea

Seeds of eight species ofSilene s. str. in Korea were examined with a dissecting stereomicroscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to evaluate the systematic significance of seed coat microstructure. The seeds ofSilene s. str. were characterized by triangular or reniform shape, planed or concave dorsal surface in outline, tuberculate or colliculate testa, and sinuated cell margin. Based on the degree of grooves and invagination at dorsal surface, the seeds of the examined taxa ofSilene s. str. fall into two distinct groups: (I) dorsal grooves inconspicuous, surface planed (Silene jenisseensis andS. repens), (II) dorsal grooves conspicuous, surface concave (six remaining taxa). Within each group, seeds of all species may be further distinguished based on shape, size, and testa surface sculpturing. A key to the different species or groups of species is provided, and the systematic significance between/among the taxa is also briefly discussed.