TL;DR: The nature of the staminal glands from 25 Stigmaphylloid species aiming to characterize their micromorphology, anatomy and exudate histochemistry are identified and should shed light on the remaining lineages of this family.
Abstract: Staminal glands are an important character in the taxonomy of several Malpighiaceae genera, such as Banisteriopsis, Byrsonima, Diplopterys, Peixotoa and Stigmaphyllon, but only recently few studies started to elucidate the anatomy and ecological functions of these glands. Most genera showing staminal glands are placed in the Stigmaphylloid clade, one of the ten major lineages recovered in recent phylogenies for Malpighiaceae. Here, we identified the nature of the staminal glands from 25 Stigmaphylloid species aiming to characterize their micromorphology, anatomy and exudate histochemistry. Scanning electron and light microscopy were applied to examine the stamens of fresh collected or herborized flowers. All Stigmaphylloid representatives showed elaiophores, osmophores or both glands comprising the epidermal cells in the connective, anther or both regions of the stamen. Elaiophores were distinct into three structural patterns: (1) trichomatous, (2) secretory globose epidermis (3) and overlapping globose epidermal cells. These glands were identified mainly by the occurrence of fatty acids composing the secretion within the cells. Osmophores were always identified as unicellular papillae. Elaiophores and osmophores in the stamen seems to be homoplastic in Malpighiaceae, identified in the Stigmaphylloid clade and in the outgroup representative Byrsonima spicata. Osmophores were restricted to the connectives of Camarea and Cottsia, and at different positions in the anther epidermis of Byrsonima spicata, probably linked to their unique pollination syndromes. This is the first effort in understanding the evolutionary patterns of these glands in Malpighiaceae and should shed light on further studies comprising the remaining lineages of this family.
TL;DR: The results ofPalynological analysis of 14 Janusia species and seven species belonging Aspicarpa, Camarea and Cottsia suggest that the studied genera cannot be delimited using palynological characteristics but that they may be helpful to distinguish among genera.
Abstract: This paper presents a palynological study of 14 Janusia species and seven species belonging Aspicarpa, Camarea and Cottsia to contribute to the taxonomic study of the Gaudichaudieae tribe. The pollen grains were examined under optical and scanning electron microscopy. The pollen grains are generally spheroidal or cuboidal, medium to large, 6-8-porate and display variable colpoids and ornamentations. Janusia pollen grains vary in their quantitative characteristics, apertures and ornamentation. In some Janusia species, we observed the presence of a lipid substance on the pollen grains, likely pollenkitt. The pollen morphology of the cleistogamic flowers of Janusia guaranitica is clearly distinct from the pollen grains of chasmogamous flowers in all species analysed. Janusia anisandra, Janusia caudata and Janusia christianeae possess harmomegathic mechanisms, and the presence of colpoids also in J. guaranitica (chasmogamous flower) may suggest a direct relationship between these species, although their presence is more frequent in more humid areas. The results of palynological analysis suggest that the studied genera cannot be delimited using palynological characteristics but that they may be helpful to distinguish among genera.