Abstract
This study investigated the leaf structure of Bromelia and its importance for understanding the evolution of Bromelioideae (Bromeliaceae). Because of the scarcity of informative molecular characters in Bromeliaceae, this study evaluates the relevance of anatomical characters for the taxonomy and phylogeny of Bromelia and the subfamily Bromelioideae. Anatomical studies in monocots have shown that the combined application of anatomical and external morphological characters from leaf structure can improve the taxonomic delimitation of species, genera and subgenera, and is very informative for inferring phylogenies. The current study analyzed the leaves of 27 species of Bromelia and found that the most important characters for the systematics of this group are the occurrence of a water storage hypodermis, the number of stalk cells of peltate scales, the presence of a ribbed abaxial surface, the occurrence of palisade parenchyma on the adaxial side, the shape of the cells that surround the air lacunae, the presence of raphides and secretory channels, and the occurrence of fibrous extensions on the bundle sheath on minor veins. Combining our results with those described for the family, we made a list of the anatomical characters that can be used in phylogenetic studies of Bromelioideae.
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