| Abstract Detail
Developmental and Structural Section Sokolik, John T [1], Tippery, Nicholas P [2]. In search of diagnostic seed characters for African Nymphoides (Menyanthaceae). In the floating-leaved aquatic genus Nymphoides, taxonomically informative floral characters tend to be lost during plant drying, leading to heavier reliance on seed morphology for identifying herbarium specimens. Seed morphology characters are useful for distinguishing many species in Asia and Australia, however similar characters have not been identified for the 12 endemic African species (approximately one-fourth of the genus). Using herbarium specimens, we investigated the seeds of African Nymphoides species using a dissecting microscope and SEM. Seeds were found to differ in shape, size, hilum ornamentation, epidermal cell wall border, and surface protuberance type. Specimens were grouped into five distinct seed morphology categories, putatively corresponding to described species. Seed morphology characters thus are useful for identifying the more prominent African Nymphoides species, particularly in herbarium specimens lacking quality flower preservation.
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1 - University Of Wisconsin - Whitewater, 800 W Main St, Whitewater, WI, 53190, USA
2 - University Of Wisconsin - Whitewater, Department Of Biological Sciences, 800 W Main St, 800 W Main St, Whitewater, WI, 53190, USA
Keywords:
aquatic plants
Asterales
comparative morphology
Seed.
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Eyrie/Boise Centre
Date: Monday, July 28th, 2014
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PDS001
Abstract ID:825
Candidate for Awards:None |
