A revision of the anatomy of Gunneraceae

Abstract

New studies on the anatomy of the leal’, stem, stolon and root of 1 7 taxa of Gumma have revealed several interesting anatomical features. Scalariform perforation plates occur in most vessel elements of stolons and roots, although simple perforation plates are more frequent in the stems of large leafed‐species. The leaf surface and internal anatomy have not been studied since the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In this paper, detailed studies of the leaf include features such as marginal and laminar hydathodes. ‘warts’, hair types, and groups of 2 5 palisade‐like tells connected to each other by short communicating tubes. The anatomy of Gumma lierleri is described in detail for the first time. .Xostoc colonies in the leaf are illustrated.

New insights into the pollen morphology of the genus Gunnera (Gunneraceae)

“…Myrothamnus and Gunnera are, in contrast, very different in general morphology (Wilkinson 2000) as well as in pollen morphology. Myrothamnus sheds pollen in tetrads unlike Gunnera.…”

Morphology and Angiosperm Systematics in the Molecular Era

“…Morphologically, the two families seem to be very different (Endress & Igersheim, 1999). However, the structure of Gunnera species with small growth forms has not been well studied (Wilkinson, 2000), and these species may have more plesiomorphic features within the genus, which may then be more similar to those of Myrothamnus. In fact, Gunnera herterL a small annual herb, comes out basal in the genus in the study by Wanntorp et al (2001).…”

A physiologically explicit morphospace for tracheid-based water transport in modern and extinct seed plants

“…There have been further elaborations on this form within the angiosperms: palms achieve large stature without a vascular cambium by means of their primary thickening meristem (Tomlinson 1990); many species of the dicot Gunnera support several meterscale leaves on stems less than a meter high because of structural support conferred by leaf bases (Batham 1943, Wilkinson 2000. The diversity of structural adaptations found within plants that contain vessels and fibers far exceeds that in plants with pycnoxylic wood (Mosbrugger 1990, Niklas 1997).…”