Foliar anatomy of Rhynchosia spp. (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) from Roraima state, northern Brazilian Amazon

Eduardo De Souza Costa,Andréia Silva Flores,Germana Bueno Dias

doi:10.1590/1809-4392201801691

Eduardo De Souza Costa, Andréia Silva Flores + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1809-4392201801691

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Comparative studies on the structure of foliar anatomy in four species of Rhynchosia from Roraima state (northern Brazilian Amazon) were carried out to identify additional morphological characters to support the definition of the systematic boundaries among the species. Fully expanded leaves, including the petioles, were collected from the upper nodes of a plant’s stem. Anatomical characters were observed in cross-sections of the middle portion of leaflets and petiole segments. Presence and distribution of glandular trichomes, continuity of sclerenchyma around the vascular bundles in leaflet blades and the conformation of the area between the two ridges of petioles were important characters to distinguish among the species of Rhynchosia. For the first time we report a distinct multicellular gland-like structure which we found in the petioles of three species.

Highlights

The genus Rhynchosia Lour. (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) belongs to the tribe Phaseoleae, subtribe Cajaninae and comprises some 230 species, of which 55 are endemic to the Neotropics, which are considered a center of diversity for Rhynchosia (Grear 1978; Lewis et al 2005)
Vouchers were deposited in the Herbarium of the Museu Integrado de Roraima (MIRR), Roraima State, Brazil [R. melanocarpa: Roraima, RORAIMA: Boa Vista, Campus Universidade Federal de Roraima (UFRR) Cauamé, 14/V/2009, A.P.M
The foliar anatomical features described in this study were in accordance with the general patterns observed in previous studies (Metcalfe and Chalk 1950; Lackey 1978; Vargas et al 2015)

Summary

Introduction

The genus Rhynchosia Lour. (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) belongs to the tribe Phaseoleae, subtribe Cajaninae and comprises some 230 species, of which 55 are endemic to the Neotropics, which are considered a center of diversity for Rhynchosia (Grear 1978; Lewis et al 2005). (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) belongs to the tribe Phaseoleae, subtribe Cajaninae and comprises some 230 species, of which 55 are endemic to the Neotropics, which are considered a center of diversity for Rhynchosia (Grear 1978; Lewis et al 2005). Brazil harbours 18 species, of which five were reported for the northern region of Brazil (BFG 2015). Four of these Amazonian species have been registered for the state of Roraima, where they occur mostly in savanna vegetation (Grear 1978; Lewis et al 2005; Hirt and Flores 2012).

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