Wood anatomy of Mollinedia glabra (Spreng.) Perkins (Monimiaceae) in two Restinga Vegetation Formations at Rio das Ostras, RJ, Brazil

Abstract

This paper aimed to characterize the anatomical structure of the wood of specimens of Mollinedia glabra (Spreng.) Perkins growing in two contiguous formations of restinga vegetation at Praia Virgem, in the municipality of Rio das Ostras, RJ. Both the Open Palmae (OPS) and the Sandy Strip Closed Shrub (SSCS) formations are found in coastal regions that receive between 1,100 and 1,300 mm of rainfall per year. Sapwood samples were collected in both formations. Typical anatomical features for this species include: solitary vessels, radial multiples or clusters elements, that are circular to angular in outline, 5-15 barred scalariform perforation plates, wood parenchyma scanty, septate fiber-tracheids, and wide multiseriate rays with prismatic crystals. Statistical analyses indicated a significant increase in the frequency of vessel elements and an increase in fiber-tracheid diameters in OPS individuals. These characteristics are considered structural adaptations to increased water needs caused by a greater exposure to sunlight. Continuous pruning may be responsible for the tyloses observed in OPS plants. The greater lengths and higher frequencies of the rays in SSCS trees may be due to the greater diameters of their branches. Our results suggest that M. glabra develops structural adaptations to the restinga micro-environmental variations during its development.

Ecological significance of wood anatomy of Alseis pickelii Pilg. & Schmale (Rubiaceae) in a Tropical Dry Forest

“…where individuals had larger, but less frequent, vessel elements). The relationship between the frequency of vessel elements and their size, and the size of lumina of fibrers is a structural adjustment related to the requirements for water by plants (Novaes et al 2010). Thus, wide vessel elements can carry a greater volume of water, but are more prone to embolism (Sperry et al 1994).…”

Ecoanatomía de la madera de dos taxa mexicanos del género Mimosa (Leguminosae-Mimosoideae)

“…Por su parte, Novaes et al (2010) mencionan que existe una relación directa entre la altura de los radios y la disponibilidad de agua en el sitio, de modo que los radios bajos implican que, en el sitio, existe poca disponibilidad de agua. Aún más, Alves y Angyalossy-Alfonso (2002) y Amano (2007) señalan que, además de la altura de los radios, el grosor de la pared de las fibras, también está relacionado con la disponibilidad de agua.…”

ECOLOGIC FEATURES OF WOOD ANATOMY OF Casearia sylvestris SW (SALICACEAE) IN THREE BRAZILIAN ECOSYSTEMS

“…BAAS, 1973;CARLQUIST, 1985CARLQUIST, , 2001BARAJAS-MORALES, 1985;TYREE;ZIMMERMANN, 2002;LUCHI, 2004;AGUILAR-RODRIGUEZ et al, 2006;ZANNE et al, 2006;NOVAES et al, 2010;JÚNIOR et al, 2011;SONSIN et al, 2012). Comparative studies have shown that environmental variations are in general refl ected into the xylem anatomy, especially regarding cell dimensions such as vessel frequency and area, fi bers length and wall thickness, rays width, and frequency.…”

“…Comparative studies have shown that environmental variations are in general refl ected into the xylem anatomy, especially regarding cell dimensions such as vessel frequency and area, fi bers length and wall thickness, rays width, and frequency. Such studies on ecological anatomy were fi rst developed in the 1970's with species from temperate regions (BAAS, 1973;CARLQUIST, 1975), but they are rare in the tropics despite the fl ora richness and the environmental diversity (MARCATI et al, 2001, NOVAES et al, 2010.…”