Abstract

The presence of small knobs/nodules found on the adaxial leaflet surface of some Encephalartos species was investigated in 134 cycad species of nine genera. The knobs, referred to as collicles, were found to be the result of connecting mucilage canal ‘bridges’ over vascular bundles, connecting mucilage canals situated between adjacent parallel vascular bundles. Collicles were found on some Encephalartos species only and not always on all individuals of the same species. The possible taxonomic value of these collicles is discussed.

Highlights

  • The presence of small knobs/nodules found on the adaxial leaflet surface of some Encephalartos species was investigated in 134 cycad species of nine genera

  • · Their possible presence was investigated in 134 species of nine cycad genera. · The knobs were referred to as collicles and found on Encephalartos species only. · Collicles are the result of anastomoses between adjacent mucilage canals

  • Notably E. ferox, E. horridus, E. princeps and E. trispinosus (The author citations for the Encephalartos species are given in the table and are not repeated in the text) where considerably more than five plants were included in the survey, almost all the plants appeared to be devoid of collicles one or a few plants with many collicles per leaflet were encountered as exceptions

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Summary

Introduction

The presence of small knobs/nodules found on the adaxial leaflet surface of some Encephalartos species was investigated in 134 cycad species of nine genera. · The knobs were referred to as collicles and found on Encephalartos species only. Small knobs/nodules (Fig. 1A) clearly visible to the unaided eye occur on the adaxial leaflet surface of some species of Encephalartos Lehm. Hill) Regel and L. peroffskyana Regel; 15 of Macrozamia Miq., viz. M_communis L.

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