1. Phylogeny and Evolution of Diapensiaceae Pollen Morphology.
- Author
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Hughes, Nicole and Acquard, Alyson
- Subjects
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DIAPENSIACEAE , *PHYLOGENY - Abstract
Diapensiaceae is a small family of flowering plants within the order Ericales. The family contains 6 genera and 15 species, which are primarily distributed in North America and East Asia. Diapensiaceae native to the Eastern USA include the perennial herbs Galax urceolata, Shortia galacifolia, and Pyxidanthera barbulata. Although pollen morphology is a useful taxonomic character, no studies have characterized the pollen morphology of Diapensiaceae. We collected air-dried pollen from the herbarium vouchers of S. galacifolia and P. barbulata at Appalachian State University. For Galax urceolata, fresh pollen was collected and freeze-dried prior to analysis. Samples were sputter-coated in gold and images captured using a Phenom scanning electron microscope. For each species, size, polarity, shape and colporus charactristic were characterized. We further compared these characteristics to those of closely related families within Ericaceae (Clethreceae and Cyrillaceae), as well as the more basal Marcgraviaceae. As with other Ericales, Diapensiaceae pollen grains were small (10- 25 µm), radially symmetrical, linearly tricolporate (possessing three linear germinal forrows), and isopolar (distal and proximate poles are symmetrical across the equatorial plane). Whereas the ancestral pollen shape of basal Ericales was isodiametric (spherical) to slightly prolate (ellipsoid), Diapensiaceae and its sister taxa were more strongly prolate, although this may be an artifact of the drying process. Exine (outer coating) ornamentation varied throughout the Ericales from foveolate (smooth) to reticulate (netted). Similar variation occurred within the Diapensiaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024