STRUCTURALLY PRESERVED FOSSIL PLANTS FROM ANTARCTICA. I. ANTARCTICYCAS,GEN. NOV., A TRIASSIC CYCAD STEM FROM THE BEARDMORE GLACIER AREA

Silicified stems with typical cycadalean anatomy are described from specimens collected from the Fremouw Formation (Triassic) in the Transantarctic Mountains of Antarctica. Axes are slender with a large parenchymatous pith and cortex separated by a narrow ring of vascular tissue. Mucilage canals are present in both pith and cortex. Vascular tissue consists of endarch primary xylem, a narrow band of secondary xylem tracheids, cambial zone, and region of secondary phloem. Vascular bundles contain uni- to triseriate rays with larger rays up to 2 mm wide separating the individual bundles. Pitting on primary xylem elements ranges from helical to scalariform; secondary xylem tracheids exhibit alternate circular bordered pits. Traces, often accompanied by a mucilage canal, extend out through the large rays into the cortex where some assume a girdling configuration. A zone of periderm is present at the periphery of the stem. Large and small roots are attached to the stem and are conspicuous in the surrounding matrix. The anatomy of the Antarctic cycad is compared with that of other fossil and extant cycadalean stems.     

红树族植物次生木质部附物纹孔的电镜观测

应用扫描电子显微镜详细观察了红树族4属、10种、1变种植物次生木质部管状分子附物纹孔的分布和形态, 应用Carnoy 2.0软件和扫描电镜下采集的照片, 测定了管间梯状附物纹孔丰富度指标和管间梯状纹孔数量特征指标。结果显示, 红树族植物次生木质部管状分子侧壁具附物纹孔。所观察的植物附物纹孔的分布和形态变化大。附物纹孔丰富度指标与管间梯状纹孔数量特征指标的逐步回归分析表明, 导管侧壁附物纹孔丰富度随纹孔口面积百分比的增大而增大。据此推测, 红树族植物附物纹孔丰富度与纹孔几何构造及数量特征有关。附物纹孔是红树族植物稳定存在的一个木材解剖性状。综合生态-系统演化的观点, 红树族植物具附物纹孔可能是受系统演化关系控制的生态适应结果。     

Anatomical Characteristics of the Stem of Sigillaria cf. brardii from Coal Balls in Guizhou Province,China

The stem specimens of Sigillaria cf. brardii were collected from the coal balls of Upper Permian in Shuicheng Coal Mines in Guizhou Province. The main anatomical characteristics of Sigillaria cf. brardii are described as follows: The stem is siphonostelic, with pith composed entirely of polygonal parenchyma cells, there are secondary walls in some pith cell cavities these secondary walls show the characters of cell division. Surrounding the pith is the continuous cylindrical primary xylem which consists entirely of tracheids. The outermost, and part are the protoxylem elements show spiral secondary thickenings. In cross section, the outer edge of exarch primary xylem appears regularly sinuous, with trace of mesarch leaf originating from the furrows. The centripetal metaxylem is characterized by scalariform wall thickenings on the tracheids, and delicated strands of secondary wall materials extending between abjacent bars, these structures are called fimbris, or williamson striations, and are characteristic in lepidodendrids. The secondary xylem consists of tracheids and vascular rays. The tracheids, too, have scalariform wall thickenings and fimbris. The rays are one-to twocell width and several to more than ten cells in height.     

四合木属四合木(蒺藜科)的木材解剖学研究

在光学显微镜和扫描电子显微镜下观察了蒺藜科四合木属四合木(Tetraena mongolica Maim.)木材结构.其导管分子直径小,管壁厚,分布密度高,分子短,端壁几乎水平,具单穿孔;管间纹孔为对列或互列的具缘纹孔;韧性纤维短、壁厚、壁上有较少的单纹孔;同型单列射线、分布密度高;轴向薄壁组织散生或傍导管生.这些表明四合木的木材解剖特征是与干旱环境条件是相适应的.     

扁圆封印木（相似种）茎干的解剖特征

贵州省水城矿区晚二叠世煤核中扁圆封印木（相似种Ｓｉｇｉｌｌａｒｉａ ｃｆ．ｂｒａｒｄｉｉＢｒｏｎｇｎ．）茎干的主要解剖特征如下：管状中柱,具多边形薄壁细胞组成的髓。初生木质部成环带状,外缘呈规则的齿槽状,向心式发育。次生木质部显束状特征,横切面管胞为方圆至长方形,纵切面为梯状壁增厚,并具流苏纹。射线１—２列细胞宽,数个至十余个细胞高。叶迹起源于初生木质部外缘的槽中,中始式,但以向心发育为主。     

余甘子次生木质部导管分子观察研究

运用细胞图象分析系统及显微照相的方法,对余甘子次生木质部导管分子进行观察研究.结果发现,余甘子次生木质部导管分子中存在着许多不同的样式,导管分子大多数具尾;其穿孔板存在着两种类型:(1)两端均为1个单穿孔板;(2)一端为1个单穿孔板另一端为2个单穿孔板;(3)极少数的导管分子具有特殊的内含物;(4)管间纹孔式为互列纹孔式;(5)导管射线间纹孔式为混合型纹孔与横列刻痕状纹孔以及梯状穿孔.     

STRUCTURE OF TRACHEIDS IN THREE SPECIES OF LYCOPODIUM

The structure of tracheids in Lycopodium lucidulum, L. clavatum, and L. tristachyum was studied with the light microscope. Protoxylem development is at least sometimes and possibly always mesarch in indeterminate axes of all three species. Centrifugally formed protoxylem elements are reticulate and discontinuities in the secondary walls of these elements are sometimes conspicuously bordered. Wall thickenings of first formed protoxylem elements consist mainly of indirectly connected rings. Late centripetally formed protoxylem elements and transitional elements have a reticulate secondary wall pattern. The narrowest metaxylem elements have circular bordered pits while in wider metaxylem elements pits are bordered and may vary from circular to scalariform. Pitting is uniseriate to triseriate in tracheids of all three species, and intermittent tetraseriate pitting was occasionally observed in L. lucidulum. Crassulae occur in tracheids of the three species, and in L. clavatum an additional framework, probably representing thickened compound middle lamella, is also present. Pits often appear helically arranged, and in all three species pits are connected by thin areas in the secondary wall. Macrofibrils approximately 0.5 μ wide were observed in tracheids of the three species. In L. clavatum the arrangement of macro-fibrils was predominantly bidirectional.     

湖北长阳上泥盆统一种石松植物

描述一种采自湖北上泥盆统弗拉阶黄家蹬组中的石松植物。该植物茎轴纤细。叶基纺锤形,螺旋排列。叶线形,叶缘具刺。具顶生的孢子叶球。其孢子叶匙状或披针形,边缘具刺。孢子囊呈圆形或椭圆形。植物茎具原生中柱。原生木质部呈小脊状位于中柱边缘。后生木质部管胞由梯纹分子组成,在加厚棒之间没有类似“威廉姆逊纹”的连接物。该植物与采自湖南中泥盆统基维特阶的Longostachys(Zhu,Huand Feng) Caiand Chen可比较。它们在茎轴、线形和具刺的叶、纺锤形和螺旋排列的叶基、匙状披针形的孢子叶,以及叶、叶基和孢子叶的度量等特征方面均非常相似。两者在解剖特征上存有差别,即当前植物不具次生木质部,不具髓,后生木质部加厚棒之间不具连接物。考虑到现有特征并不足以建立新属种,暂归入cf.Longostachyssp.     

领春木茎次生木质部中导管穿孔板的变异

领春木Euptelea pleiosperma Hook. f. &; Thoms.隶属领春木科Eupteleaceae。该科为东亚特有的单型科,其系统位置一直颇有争议。本文对中国产领春木茎次生木质部中导管穿孔板的变异进行了观察,以期为它的系统位置提供进一步的解剖学证据。结果表明,领春木茎次生木质部中包括无明显穿孔板的管胞状导管和典型的导管两种类型。在无明显穿孔板的导管中,穿孔中的纹孔膜全部或部分消失,但穿孔无规则排列或聚集,不形成具典型的形态特征的穿孔板;在典型的导管中,穿孔板形态变异较大,包括几个类型:网状穿孔板(含麻黄式穿孔板)、网状和梯状混合型穿孔板、梯状穿孔板、梯状穿孔板向单穿孔板的过渡。在上述导管穿孔板类型中,只有梯状穿孔板的穿孔中可以观察到纹孔膜的残余。在领春木次生木质部中也观察到了端壁多穿孔板及侧壁穿孔板。根据观察结果,我们认为领春木次生木质部导管穿孔板的许多特征说明该科可能处于毛茛目中比较原始的系统位置。     

ANATOMY AND AFFINITIES OF PENTHORUM

The genus Penthorum L. consists of two species of perennial herbs, P. sedoides of eastern North America and P. chinense of eastern Asia. Penthorum has long been considered intermediate between Crassulaceae and Saxifragaceae. An anatomical study of both species was undertaken to contribute to a better understanding of the relationships of these plants. Prominent anatomical features of Penthorum include: an aerenchymatous cortex and closely-spaced collateral vascular bundles of stems; one-trace unilacunar nodes; brochidodromous venation, rosoid teeth bearing hydathodes, and anomocytic stomata of leaves; angular vessel elements with many-barred scalariform perforation plates and alternate to scattered intervascular pits; thin-walled non-septate fiber-tracheids; abundant homocellular erect uniseriate and biseriate rays; and absence of axial xylem parenchyma. In general, Penthorum possesses neither the morphological nor the anatomical synapomorphies which define Crassulaceae, and features shared with Saxifragaceae are largely symplesiomorphous. Thus Penthorum is probably best classified in the monogeneric Penthoraceae.     

ANATOMICALLY PRESERVED GLOSSOPTERIS STEMS WITH ATTACHED LEAVES FROM THE CENTRAL TRANSANTARCTIC MOUNTAINS,ANTARCTICA

Stems and buds of Glossopteris skaarensis Pigg and buds of G. schopfii Pigg from the Permian Skaar Ridge locality in the central Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica demonstrate the first anatomically preserved glossopterids known with stem/leaf attachment. Stems of G. skaarensis are 1–12 mm in diameter ( = 3.1 mm) with a broad pith, poorly defined primary xylem, and a zone of secondary xylem up to 6 mm thick. Pycnoxylic wood conforming to Araucarioxylon Kraus is composed of tracheids with uni- to biseriate oval to hexagonal bordered pits on radial walls, uniseriate rays one to a few cells high, and cupressoid to taxodioid cross-field pitting. Stems have a narrow zone of secondary phloem, aerenchymatous cortex with scattered sclereids, and sometimes a narrow periderm. Two wedge-shaped leaf traces each bifurcate to form four strands in the base of each petiole. Small axillary branches are vascularized by double branch traces that fuse at the margin of the main axis. Buds of G. skaarensis have leaves with narrow lateral laminae and a thickened midrib containing a wide lacuna, delicate vascular strands, and a prominent hypodermis. In contrast, buds of G. schopfii have uniformly thick leaves with prominent, circular vascular bundle sheaths. These anatomical details are used to reconstruct individual types of glossopterid plants, providing new information toward understanding the ecology and evolution of this important group of Permian seed plants.     

Comparative Anatomical Studies on the Vessel Elements of Chinese Magnolia and Michelia

This paper deals mainly with comparative studies on elements of secondary xylem in 39 species of Chinese Magnolia and Michelia. The former plants present longer and slender vessels. Most of them have simple perforation and only a few scalariform perforation plates. In contrast, most of the Michelia species possess scalariform perforation plates and only one with simple perforation. The scalariform perforation plates of Magnolia species, if present, exhibit more bars than that of Michelia With few exceptions, there is no spiral thickening on the vessel wall in Magnolia, whereas in Michelia it is lust the opposite. In addition, some other differences in vessel elements between these two genera are also discussed.     

Comparative wood anatomy of epacrids (Styphelioideae,Ericaceae s.L.)

The wood anatomy of 16 of the 37 genera within the epacrids (Styphelioideae, Ericaceae s.l.) is investigated by light and scanning electron microscopy. Several features in the secondary xylem occur consistently at the tribal level: arrangement of vessel-ray pits, distribution of axial parenchyma, ray width, and the presence and location of crystals. The primitive nature of Prionoteae and Archerieae is supported by the presence of scalariform perforation plates with many bars and scalariform to opposite vessel pitting. The wood structure of Oligarrheneae is similar to that of Styphelieae, but the very narrow vessel elements, exclusively uniseriate rays and the lack of prismatic crystals in Oligarrheneae distinguish these two tribes. The secondary xylem of Monotoca tamariscina indicates that it does not fit in Styphelieae; a position within Oligarrheneae is possible. Like most Cosmelieae, all Richeeae are characterized by exclusively scalariform perforation plates with many bars, a very high vessel density and paratracheal parenchyma, although they clearly differ in ray width (exclusively uniseriate rays in Cosmelieae vs. uniseriate and wide multiseriate rays in Richeeae). Several wood anatomical features confirm the inclusion of epacrids in Ericaceae s.l. Furthermore, there are significant ecological implications. The small vessel diameter and high vessel frequency in many epacrids are indicative of a high conductive safety to avoid embolism caused by freeze-thaw cycles, while the replacement of scalariform by simple vessel perforation plates and an increase in vessel diameter would suggest an increased conductive efficiency, which is especially found in mesic temperate or tropical Styphelieae.     

中国木兰属和含笑属导管分子的比较解剖

本文对我国木兰科的39种木兰属和含笑属植物次生木质部的导管分子进行了初步分析。两属导管分子的长度和宽度略有差异。木兰属中多数种的导管分于有单穿孔板,但有的可见到梯状穿孔板。含笑属植物的导管分子大多具有梯状穿孔板,仅有一种可看到单穿孔板。在具有梯状穿孔板的木兰属植物中,穿孔板的横隔数目较含笑属的多。木兰属的导管壁上一般无螺纹加厚;含笑属则相反。此外,在两属之间,导管尚存在一些其它差异。     

PITTING IN PSILOPHYTON DAWSONII,AN EARLY DEVONIAN TRIMEROPHYTE

Tracheids of Psilophyton dawsonii Banks, Leclercq, and Hueber 1975 from calcareous pebbles of late Early Devonian age on the Gaspé Peninsula, eastern Canada, are shown to have scalariform bordered and circular bordered pits. Macerated tracheids embedded in Spurr epoxy resin and sectioned at 2 μm; peels, ground sections, SEM and petrographic observations all indicate that interconnections between the scalariform bars are composed of secondary wall material and that the patterns produced are not artifacts of preservation. The interconnections produce a wide range of patterns from simple vertical strands, to reticula, to more extensive interconnections that outline circular openings. The circular openings result in scalariform bordered pits that are considered to be multiaperturate. P. dawsonii is believed to illustrate the most complex pitting yet demonstrated conclusively in Early Devonian time. Among trimerophytes P. forbesii, tracheids of P. charientos, and Hostinella from Röragen, Norway lack only the circular bordered pits.     

Freezing in Conifer Xylem: II. PIT ASPIRATION AND BUBBLE FORMATION

A scanning electron microscope equipped with a freezing stagewas used to examine the effects of slow freezing on pit aspirationand bubble formation in living tree stems. The size (approximately 2.0 µm diameter) and the sphericalor ellipsoidal shape of the bubbles found in the centre of frozenlumens indicated freezing rates greater than 25 µm s^–1.Both unaspirated and aspirated bordered pits were found in thefrozen xylem. The technique used did not reveal enough pitsto determine whether unaspirated pits were more prevalent thanaspirated pits. These results are compared with hypotheses and results fromprevious work on freezing in conifer xylem. Key words: Freezing, conifer xylem, bordered pits, bubbles     

On Paleozoic plants from marine strata: Trivena arkansana (Lyginopteridaceae) gen. et sp. nov., a lyginopterid from the Fayetteville Formation (middle Chesterian/Upper Mississippian) of Arkansas, USA

Five permineralized seed fern stems from the Fayetteville Formation (middle Chesterian/Upper Mississippian) of Arkansas conform to the concept of lyginopterid seed ferns. However, these specimens are unlike all previously reported lyginopterids, and the name Trivena arkansana (Lyginopteridaceae) gen. et sp. nov. is proposed. The stems are up to 30 by 19 mm in diameter and have pentagonal pith and eustele of five cryptic sympodia. Secondary tissues include abundant xylem with numerous wide rays and phloem surrounded by a periderm. The cortex is parenchymatous with abundant sclerotic clusters: some clusters are randomly dispersed and some are in discontinuous rows. Sclerenchyma bands form the "Dictyoxylon"-type outer cortex. Leaf traces diverge in a 2/5 phyllotaxy. Traces, accompanied by concentric secondary xylem, increase in size as they extend through the secondary xylem of the stem. The trace assumes a squat C shape at the outer margin of the secondary xylem and in the cortex divides into three discrete bundles, each surrounded by secondary xylem. Galleries within the phloem contain arthropod coprolites and exhibit wound response, suggesting plant-arthropod coevolution. The discovery of this new lyginopterid stem adds to the growing list of unique taxa described from the Fayetteville Formation and further solidifies its reputation as one of the most important Upper Mississippian plant fossil sites in North America.     

TRACHEID BAR AND VESTURED PITS IN LEGUME SEEDS (LEGUMINOSAE: PAPILIONOIDEAE)

The tracheid bar, a strip composed of vertically oriented large tracheid-like cells (tracheoids), occurs only in the hilum of seeds of papilionoid legumes. An anatomical survey of the bar was made from seeds representing 232 species of 97 genera from 29 of the 31 tribes recognized by Polhill. Seeds were sectioned freehand, coated, then viewed by SEM. The tracheid bar is quite uniform in its general features throughout the subfamily, although differences in size and shape of both the bar and the tracheoids were found. Eight species from tribes considered to be among the primitive elements of the subfamily exhibited three variant forms: horizontal tracheary elements instead of the usual bar (2 species), tracheid bar with subtending but separate vascular bundle (1 species), and the tracheid bar with fused horizontal tracheary elements (5 species). Bordered pits of individual cells in the tracheid bar virtually always lacked a membrane and had smooth, warty, or variously elaborate vestures on the border. This appears to be the first report of vestured pits other than in secondary xylem. With some exceptions, bordered pits tended to be vestured in primitive tribes, warty in intermediate tribes, and smooth or only slightly warty in the most advanced tribes.     

梣属11种植物次生木质部附物纹孔的电镜观测

应用扫描电镜对梣属11种植物次生木质部导管附物纹孔的分布和形态进行了详细的观察,应用Carnoy2.0软件和扫描电子显微镜采集的照片,测定了附物纹孔丰富度指标和纹孔数量特征指标。电镜观察表明,梣属11种研究植物次生木质部导管分子侧壁附物纹孔的分布和形态变化较大,附物纹孔丰富度指标的统计描述进一步证实附物纹孔的分布变化大;3个附物纹孔丰富度指标分别与管间具缘纹孔数量特征指标的逐步回归分析表明,导管侧壁附物纹孔丰富度2个指标,即导管外纹孔口附物频率与导管纹孔腔附物频率随纹孔口面积百分比的增大而增大,推测梣属植物附物纹孔丰富度与纹孔几何构造及数量特征有关。研究认为,附物纹孔在梣属植物稳定存在,是可界定梣属植物的木材解剖性状。     

The Early Carboniferous progymnosperm Protopitys: new data on vegetative and fertile structures,and on its geographic and stratigraphic distribution

We review progress made during the last 25 years in our understanding of the Protopityales, Early Carboniferous plants belonging to the extinct group of the progymnosperms. Recent studies support previous observations that the only genus of this order, Protopitys, included large arborescent plant with trunks up to 1 m in diameter. All branch orders had an oval eustele, secondary xylem with small rays and tracheid pitting ranging from circular bordered to scalariform bordered, and vascular traces to lateral appendages emitted in an alternate to subopposite distichous arrangement. Leaf morphology remains unknown. New material also confirms that fertile organs of Protopitys consist of branching systems bearing elongated sporangia terminally. Spores have a perispore and range in two size groups, which has been interpreted as a primitive stage of heterospory. The dense wood and fertile parts of Protopitys are comparable to those of the aneurophytalean progymnosperms of the Devonian, but Protopitys is distinct by its eustelic primary vascular system, and its affinities are still uncertain. The genus is now documented from at least nine localities in Europe, North America and Australia. Recent discoveries also indicate that it was present through the whole Mississippian, from the middle Tournaisian to the Serpukhovian.