Morphoanatomy of the Leaf and Calicinal Glands of Stigmaphyllon A.Juss. (Malpighiaceae): functional evidence, taxonomic and evolutionary contributions

ABSTRACT

The morphoanatomy of the leaf and calyx glands of Stigmaphyllon A.Juss. occurring in Brazil, was analyzed from expanded leaves collected and fixed in the field or from herbarium specimens, processed and analyzed by usual hand-free anatomical methods. The variable characters recorded in this study were related to the position of glands in the limb and petiole, shape, presence/absence of peduncles in glands, presence/absence of cuticle and subcuticular space, palisade epidermis and vascularization patterns. Leaf and calyx glands in Stigmaphyllon are structurally similar, corroborating previous anatomical studies in the family and reinforcing the hypothesis that calyx glands might be evolutionarily derived from leaf glands in Malpighiaceae.

Keywords:
Elaiophores; extrafloral nectaries; Malpighiales; plant anatomy; Stigmaphylloid clade