Comparative Anatomy of Leaf and Spathe of Nine Species of Anthurium (Section Urospadix; Subsection Flavescentiviridia) (Araceae) and Their Diagnostic Potential for Taxonomy

Abstract

Leaf and spathe anatomy of seven species and two varieties of the genus Anthurium (section Urospadix; subsection Flavescentiviridia) were analyzed. Plant material was collected from different locations in Brazil and cultivated under identical glasshouse conditions in the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden. Our attempt is to evaluate the diagnostic potential of leaf and spathe anatomy for taxonomic purposes. Leaves presented smooth cuticle, polygonal epidermal cells randomly disposed in paradermal view, periclinal divisions of epidermal cells in transversal view, non-raised stomata, collenchyma, sclerenchymatic bundle sheaths and raphides in the mesophyll. The spathe presented cuticular striations; rectangular and elongated cells in parallel rows; raised stomata; absence of collenchyma, raphides and sclerenchymatic bundle sheaths and presence of sclerenchyma as fibre caps under phloem. Clustering analysis based on leaf and spathe anatomical characters, revealed that the spathe can give a better resolution for segregation of species groups.

Anatomia comparada da folha e espata de espécies de Anthurium (Araceae) ocorrentes na Mata Atlântica

“…Foram estudas nove espécies de Anthurium pertencentes a três diferentes seções, todas ocorrentes em floresta ombrófila densa de Mata Atlântica: Anthurium acutum N. E. Brown (Mantovani & Pereira 2005).…”

“…Entretanto, são relativamente poucas as análises anatômicas realizadas no gênero Anthurium (Lindorf 1980, Rada & Jaimez 1992, Mantovani 1999a, principalmente com enfoque taxonômico (Mantovani & Pereira 2005). Podem ser citados para Anthurium os estudos de Gentner (1905) sobre o processo de gutação, de Lindorf (1980) sobre a ocorrência de glândulas foliares, de French (1997) sobre a presença de endoderme e de Rada & Jaimez (1992), Mantovani (1999a, b) e Lorenzo et al (2009) que avaliam a morfofisiologia de epífitas do gênero.…”

“…Mayo (1986) identificou caracteres anatômicos na espata de Philodendron. Já Mantovani & Pereira (2005), trabalhando com nove espécies de Anthurium da seção Urospadix subseção Flavescentiviridia, comparam a anatomia de folha e espata revelando maior potencialidade da espata em gerar caracteres diagnósticos para taxonomia de Anthurium. Por fim, Mantovani et al (2009) avaliaram a variação da morfologia da nervura central ao longo da lâmina foliar como caráter diagnóstico para a taxonomia de Anthurium.…”

Leaf midrib outline as a diagnostic character for taxonomy in Anthurium section Urospadix subsection Flavescentiviridia (Araceae)

“…However fewer references were found about the use of midrib outlines for species diagnosis (Mantovani & Pereira 2005). Bačić et al (1992) compared the midribs of three species of Arbutus (Ericaceae) and Woltz et al (1987) described the midrib outline prominence or concavity for 112 of the 184 species of Podocarpineae.…”

Effects of leaf herbivory on the bromeliad Aechmea blanchetiana: a study of selective feeding by the scraper Acentroptera pulchella

“…The macro-climate at the study site is Köppen climate classification Am (Mantovani and Pereira 2005), with mean air temperatures of 29°C and 22°C during summer and winter, respectively, and mean annual precipitation (rainfall) of ≈1075 mm. Approximately 200 distinct ramets of A. blanchetiana from the bromeliad collection were monitored to detect the presence of A. pulchella during three winter months (dry season), from June to August 2004, and two summer months (rainy season), December 2004 and January 2005.…”