Floral microcharacters in the genus Lessingianthus (Vernonieae, Asteraceae) and their taxonomic implications.

ANGULO, M. B.; DEMATTEIS, M.

PLANT SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION

SPRINGER WIEN

Lugar: Viena; Año: 2014 vol. 300 p. 1925 - 1940

0378-2697

Micromorphological characters of 113 speciesof the South American genus Lessingianthus H.Rob.(Vernonieae, Asteraceae) were analyzed to evaluate theirreliability as taxonomic markers. The corolla pubescencewas studied in detail for the first time in the genus. Glandularand non-glandular trichomes were studied anddescribed. The trichome types allow differentiation amongrelated species, but do not reflect the relationships amongspecies groups. On the other hand, the basal stylar nodeonly occurs in a distinctive group of species within thegenus. The apical appendage of the anthers is non-glandularin all species of the genus. Several character statesanalyzed in Lessingianthus are often widespread in otherrelated genera of Vernonieae. Therefore, Lessingianthuscan be circumscribed only by a combination of micro- andmacromorphological features.