Acta Phytotaxonomica et Geobotanica
Online ISSN : 2189-7042
Print ISSN : 1346-7565
ISSN-L : 1346-7565
Inflorescences of Phyllonoma(Phyllonomaceae, Aquifoliales) : Anatomical Observations
HIROSHI TOBE
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2014 Volume 65 Issue 3 Pages 117-125

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Abstract

Phyllonoma, the only genus of Phyllonomaceae (Aquifoliales), consists of four Central American species that have characteristic epiphyllous inflorescences. It has been long uncertain whether the inflorescences are cymose or racemose. The latest literature reports suggest that three species, P. laticuspis, P. tenuidens and P. weberbaueri (with small reduced inflorescences), have racemes, while P. ruscifolia (with large inflorescences) has irregular monochasial cymes. Anatomical observations of the inflorescence of P. tenuidens using serial transverse microtome sections show that it is not a raceme but a monochasial inflorescence, more strictly a scorpioid cyme. Results of the present study, together with earlier observations in other species, suggest that the entire genus Phyllonoma has monochasial cymes. Recaulescence by means of the adnation of a subtending bract (prophyll) to a higher order axis for some distance, resulting in the metatopic displacement of an axillary bud, is prevalent in the epiphyllous inflorescence.

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© 2014 The Japanese Society for Plant Systematics
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