Morphological and Anatomical Features of Nectary on Calyx-Tooth of the Genus Vicia (Leguminosae) and Their Systematic Utility

Abstract

Distributional patterns of glandular hairs on abaxial surface of calyx-tooth were observed in 30 species of subgenus Vicia of genus Vicia (Leguminosae). Two types of calyx-teeth are recognized by distributional patterns of glandular hairs; Type-1 has a few glandular hairs sparsely scattering on the whole surface; Type-2 has many glandular hairs densely gathering at the center of the teeth. The Type-2 was observed in 16 species and is divided into two subtypes as follows: Subtype A is flat at the spot of gathering glandular hairs; Subtype B is sunken at the spot. Evolutionary polarities of the characteristics of the calyx-tooth are presumed by the out-group rule as follows: 1, a few glandular hairs sparsely scattering on the whole surface on calyx-tooth → many glandular hairs gathering at the center of the tooth; 2, calyx-tooth flat at the spot of gathering glandular hairs → the tooth sunken at the spot. The second apomorphy is considered to be important for classifications of sections in the subgenus Vicia.