Comparative fruit development in some Euphorbiaceae and Phyllanthaceae

Euphorbiaceae s. str. and Phyllanthaceae were earlier components of Euphorbiaceae. This separation was mainly based on molecular data and also on morphological characteristics. Nevertheless, the structure and development of fruits are poorly investigated in these families and considering this, fruit...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plant systematics and evolution 2014-05, Vol.300 (5), p.775-782
Main Authors: Gagliardi, Karina Bertechine, de Souza, Luiz Antonio, Albiero, Adriana Lenita Meyer
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological taxonomies
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Croton
Endocarp
Euphorbia
Euphorbiaceae
fruiting
Fruits
Life Sciences
Meristems
Mesocarp
Original Article
Ovaries
Ovules
Pericarp
Phyllanthus
Phyllanthus niruri
Physical characteristics
Plant Anatomy/Development
Plant Ecology
Plant Sciences
Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography
Plants
seed development
Seeds
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Summary:Euphorbiaceae s. str. and Phyllanthaceae were earlier components of Euphorbiaceae. This separation was mainly based on molecular data and also on morphological characteristics. Nevertheless, the structure and development of fruits are poorly investigated in these families and considering this, fruits (pericarp and seed) of Euphorbia hyssopifolia L., Croton glandulosus L. (Euphorbiaceae), Phyllanthus niruri L. and Phyllanthus tenellus Roxb. (Phyllanthaceae) were structurally studied to see in what respects they are similar or different. The Euphorbiaceae schizocarps present two meristems (adaxial and subadaxial) in the ovary wall, but the adaxial meristem is entirely lacking in Phyllanthus fruits. The seeds have an exotegmen with Malpighian palisade cells in Euphorbiaceae species and a short palisade in Phyllanthus. Some special structural features, such as nucellar beak, anatropous ovules and schizocarp fruits were found in all the species and constitute a unique combination. From the present results, it appears that there is no significant difference in fruit and seed development between the studied Euphorbiaceae and Phyllanthaceae.
ISSN:0378-2697
1615-6110
2199-6881
DOI:10.1007/s00606-013-0918-3