Abstract
ABSTRACT Leaf and spathe anatomy of seven species and two varieties of the genus Anthurium (section Urospadix; subsection Flavescentiviridia) were analyzed. Plant material was collected from different locations in Brazil and cultivated under identical glasshouse conditions in the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden. Our attempt is to evaluate the diagnostic potential of leaf and spathe anatomy for taxonomic purposes. Leaves presented smooth cuticle, polygonal epidermal cells randomly disposed in paradermal view, periclinal divisions of epidermal cells in transversal view, non-raised stomata, collenchyma, sclerenchymatic bundle sheaths and raphides in the mesophyll. The spathe presented cuticular striations; rectangular and elongated cells in parallel rows; raised stomata; absence of collenchyma, raphides and sclerenchymatic bundle sheaths and presence of sclerenchyma as fibre caps under phloem. Clustering analysis based on leaf and spathe anatomical characters, revealed that the spathe can give a better resolution for segregation of species groups.
Highlights
The family Araceae presents 2823 species in 106 genera (Govaerts et al 2002)
Despite the relatively large number of species of Anthurium (35 species) studied by Keating (2002), complementary studies are still need in order to improve the anatomical description of this large genus
Keating (2002) classifies the epidermal cell walls in paradermal view as straight, undulate or extremely sinuous, and all these states of character occur in Anthurium
Summary
The genus Anthurium, described by Schott in 1829, is the largest in the family, with approximately 1000 species. In 1878 Engler divided the genera in 18 sections, and in 1898 he determined six subsections for the section. With type specimens, was destroyed during the World War II, leaving just lectotypes (Mayo et al 1997). Both Schott and Engler described many species from cultivated material that was not deposited in herbaria and was subsequently lost. The genus has not been revised until recently, by Coelho (2004), who worked with section Urospadix, subsection Flavescentiviridia
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