Comparative Morphology of the Leaf Epidermis in <i>Ligusticum</i>(Apiaceae) from China

• 作者: Jing Zhou Zhenwen Liu
• 来源期刊: 美国植物学期刊(英文)
• 学科: 医学
• 关键词: LEAF EPIDERMIS Ligusticum TAXONOMY UMBELLIFERAE (Apiaceae)
• 年，卷（期）: 2018,（6）
• 页码范围: 1105-1123
• 页数: 19页
• 分类号: R73

摘要

To investigate the taxonomic value of leaf epidermal characters in developing a classification for Ligusticum (Apiaceae), thirty-eight species (including a cultivar) of the genus were examined using both light and scanning electron microscopy. Our results show that the infrageneric classification of Ligusticum based on the characters of involucel bracteoles, mericarps, and pollen grains was not supported as few epidermal characters were relatively constant at section level. Evidence from leaf epidermis, similar to that from molecular and morphological data, supports the separation of Tilingia (i.e. L. ajanense and L. tachiroei) from Ligusticum. Ligusticopsis was found to be indistinguishable from Ligusticum in epidermal characters. Furthermore, results from epidermal analysis, together with that from cytological evidence, fruit morphology as well as molecular phylogenetics suggest that L. delavayi should be transferred out of Ligusticum.