No abstract

Seed shape has traditionally been used as a tribal character in the capsular‐fruited Melastomataceae. The seed morphology of the five neotropical tribes—Microlicieae, Tibouchineae, Rhexieae, Merianieae, and Bertolonieae—was studied with scanning electron and light microscopes. On the basis of seed morphology, five seed types are recognized: microlicioid, tibouchinoid, rhexioid, merianioid, and bertolonioid. Each of these types is illustrated and discussed, with some observations on the range of variation found. The genera of these five neotropical tribes were surveyed for seed morphology, and the results are presented here, together with a discussion of their systematic significance. On the whole, seed morphology confirms the existence of five tribes among the neotropical capsular‐fruited Melastomataceae and provides interesting evidence for generic relationships; however, it also calls into doubt the taxonomic disposition of certain genera and the delimitation of these five tribes. The seeds of most genera fit into one of these five basic types, but there are some which do not; these exceptions are discussed in terms of their seed morphology and possible relationships.

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.A B S T R A C T Seed shape has traditionally been used as a tribal character in the capsular-fruited Melastomataceae. The seed morphology of the five neotropical tribes-Microlicieae, Tibouchineae, Rhexieae, Merianieae, and Bertolonieae-was studied with scanning electron and light microscopes. On the basis of seed morphology, five seed types are recognized: microlicioid, tibouchinoid, rhexioid, merianioid, and bertolonioid. Each of these types is illustrated and discussed, with some observations on the range of variation found. The genera of these five neotropical tribes were surveyed for seed morphology, and the results are presented here, together with a discussion of their systematic significance. On the whole, seed morphology confirms the existence of five tribes among the neotropical capsular-fruited Melastomataceae and provides interesting evidence for generic relationships; however, it also calls into doubt the taxonomic disposition of certain genera and the delimitation of these five tribes. The seeds of most genera fit into one of these five basic types, but there are some which do not; these exceptions are discussed in terms of their seed morphology and possible relationships.

No abstract