Embryology of Biebersteinia (Biebersteiniaceae, Sapindales): characteristics and comparisons with related families

Abstract

Biebersteinia, a perennial herb of five species distributed from Greece to Central Asia, was long considered to be placed in, or near Geraniaceae. Recent molecular analyses, however, have shown that the genus is the sole member of the family Biebersteiniaceae in Sapindales (not including Geraniaceae). Here, we report the embryological features of Biebersteinia and provide embryological corroboration for the molecular sapindalean affinities of the genus. We compared its embryology with those of eight other families of Sapindales, as well as with those of the related orders Huerteales, Malvales, and Brassicales. Overall comparisons showed that Biebersteinia fits in Sapindales because of the presence of anther tapetal cells with polyploid nuclear mass and non-fibrous exotegmen. Further, the genus is characterized by three-celled pollen grains, tetrasporic 16-nucleate Penaea-type female gametophyte, unitegmic ovules, pseudoporogamy, and the chalaza shifting its position near the concave side in the post-fertilization stage. A considerable number of autapomorphies, combined with the lack of synapomorphies with other sapindalean families, supports placing Biebersteinia in its own family. Biebersteiniaceae appear to represent an early divergent lineage of Sapindales. Previous descriptions of seed coats, which were considered to have developed from "bitegmic" ovules, were revised.

Embryology ofHarrisonia(Cneoroideae, Rutaceae): a comparison with related genera and families

“…Embryological data for Meliaceae, Simaroubaceae and Sapindaceae were obtained from Yamamoto et al . () and references cited therein. Although only limited data were available for other Cneoroideae and Simaroubaceae, core Rutaceae, Meliaceae and Sapindaceae were relatively well characterized embryologically (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/boj.12371/suppinfo).…”

“…The features common to all of them include the following: ovule bitegmic and crassinucellate with a nucellar cap, female gametophyte development conforming to the Polygonum type, fertilization porogamous and endosperm formation of the nuclear type (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/boj.12371/suppinfo). However, most of the common embryological features can be found in many other families of Sapindales (for embryological information of all Sapindales see http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/boj.12371/suppinfo in Yamamoto et al ., ). Harrisonia had no embryological feature(s) that are restricted to other Rutaceae (including other Cneoroideae), but a few similar features were found between Harrisonia and all or some other Cneoroideae.…”

“…In this paper, we present an embryological study of Harrisonia . Embryological data provide > 50 characters associated with anther, ovule and seed development and contribute to our understanding of the relationships within and between families (Tobe, ) [for recent examples, see Yamamoto, Vassiliades & Tobe () for Biebersteiniaceae (Sapindales); Ao & Tobe () for Helwingiaceae; Tobe () for Phyllonomaceae (Aquifoliales)]. With the exception of Cneorum (Boesewinkel, ), Cneoroideae are poorly understood regarding embryology.…”

Anther and gynoecium structure and development of male and female gametophytes of Koelreuteria elegans subsp. formosana (Sapindaceae): Phylogenetic implications

“…Finally, the female gametophyte of Polygonum type with presence of ephemeral antipodals can be considered a predominant feature of the Sapindales (Nair and Joseph, 1960;Gulati and Mathur, 1977;Mathur and Gulati, 1980, 1981, 1989Ha et al, 1988;Johri et al, 1992;Ye et al, 1992;Cao et al, 2008;Zhou and Liu, 2012;González et al, 2014González et al, , 2017. However, the Penaea-type female gametophyte is restricted to Biebersteiniaceae, which is sister to all other Sapindales (Yamamoto et al, 2014).…”

Embryology of Phyllonoma (Phyllonomaceae, Aquifoliales): characteristics and character evolution

“…Embryology has previously provided data for more than 50 characters associated with anther, ovule, and seed development, and thus contributes to a better understanding of the relationships of families (Tobe 1989; for most recent examples, see Yamamoto et al 2014: Biebersteiniaceae, Sapindales; Ao and Tobe 2015: Helwingiaceae, Aquifoliales). Among the embryological characters, those of seed coat development and structure have often provided evidence for the adaptive evolution of a species or species group (e.g., Tobe et al 1987: Oenothera, Onagraceae).…”