Leaf architecture and epidermal characters in Zelkova, Ulmaceae |
| |
Authors: | YU-FEI WANG DAVID K. FERGUSON REINHARD ZETTER THOMAS DENK GIUSEPPE GARFI |
| |
Affiliation: | Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China;Institut für Paläontologie, Universität Wien, Geozentrum, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Wien, Austria;Swedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Paleobotany, Box 50007, S-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden;Via IV novembre 38, 1–96010 Buccherri (SR), Italy |
| |
Abstract: | Zelkova , with six extant species in Eurasia - three in East Asia (Z. schneideriana, Z. serrata, Z. sinica) , one in south-western Asia (Z. carpinifolia) and two in southern Europe (Z. abelicea, Z. sicula) - was investigated with respect to leaf architecture and epidermal characters by LM and SEM. The leaf venation of Zelkova is relatively uniform, while leaf size and shape are highly variable. Characters such as teeth and epidermal cells, trichomes and stomata provide useful specific distinctions. Beginning in the Miocene, increasing aridity in Central Asia would appear to have been responsible for isolating the eastern Asiatic species from their European/western Asiatic counterparts. The European range underwent further changes in response to Quaternary climatic oscillations. |
| |
Keywords: | stomata teeth trichomes wax |
|
|