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Annals of Botany 92: 571-580, 2003
© 2003 Annals of Botany Company

Systematic Significance of Cell Inclusions in Haemodoraceae and Allied Families: Silica Bodies and Tapetal Raphides

CHRISTINA J. PRYCHID*,1, CAROL A. FURNESS and PAULA J. RUDALL1

1 Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3DS, UK

* For correspondence. E-mail c.prychid@kew.org

Received: 10 January 2003;; Returned for revision 15 April 2003. Accepted: 13 June 2003

This paper presents the first record of silica deposits in tissues of Haemodoraceae and adds new records of tapetal raphides in this family. Within the order Commelinales, silica is present in leaves of three families (Hanguanacaeae, Haemodoraceae and Commelinaceae), but entirely absent from the other two (Pontederiaceae and Philydraceae). Presence or absence of characteristic cell inclusions may have systematic potential in commelinid monocotyledons, although the existing topology indicates de novo gains and losses in individual families. Silica sand was observed in leaves of five out of nine genera examined of Haemodoraceae, predominantly in vascular bundle sheath cells and epidermal cells. Within Haemodoraceae, silica is limited to subfamily Conostylidoideae. The occurrence of silica in Phlebocarya supports an earlier transfer of this genus from Haemodoroideae to Conostylidoideae. The presence of raphides (calcium oxalate crystals) in the anther tapetum represents a rare character, only reported in a few monocot families of the order Commelinales, and possibly representing a mechanism for regulation of cytoplasmic free calcium levels. Tapetal raphides were observed here in Anigozanthus and Conostylis (both Haemodoraceae), and Tradescantia (Commelinaceae), thus supplementing two earlier records in Haemodoraceae, Philydraceae and Commelinaceae.

Key words: Silica sand, tapetal raphides, monocotyledons, Haemodoraceae, Commelinales.


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