Colleters in Spermacoceae (Rubiaceae): distribution and morpho-anatomy description

JUDKEVICH, M.D.; SALAS, R.M.; GONZALEZ, A.M.

Salvador, Bahia

Conferencia; VI International Rubiaceae and Gentianales Conference; 2014

VI Conference Organizing Committee, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brasil

Colleters are secretory emergencies that protect development organs of many Angiosperms,including Rubiaceae, which also are taxonomic utility. The distribution and the morpho-anatomy of colleters in 23 species belonging to 10 genera of the Tribu Spermacoceae (Rubiaceae) was studied in order to determinate their taxonomic significance at generic and suprageneric level. Knots leaf, flower buds and flowers of 23 species, and subterranean buds of four species were fixed and dehydrated using conventional techniques to study with optical and scanning electron microscopy. In addition, observation of fresh material were performed when it counted. Colleters distributed: 1) in the interlobular angle of the calyx (20 species) on lacinias or stalk, 2) in the range of stipules (1 specie) or on stipular lacinias 22 species), and 3) at the apex of the lacinias of underground buds (4 species). In all species colleters are tapered to lacrimiformes. Anatomically have a parenchymatous axis that can be packages raphides (in some genera). Surrounding theaxis are a palisade epidermis. They have no vascularization. Given its structure is classified as standard type. In three species, we observed that the parenchymatous axis has chloroplasts.The type of the colleters, they distribution and the location and the presence of chloroplasts in the axis of some species are important taxonomic characters.