Seed morphology of Euphorbia section Zygophyllidium and related taxa

Abstract

Seed morphological studies of 12 species of sect. Zygophyllidium and related Poinsettia using light and scanning electron microscopy were conducted to test the hypotheses of the sectional boundaries and species relationships. Characteristics of seeds, and the keys of identification of 12 species were presented. Seeds of 12 species were divided into 6 types based on the UPGMA tree from numerical analyses using nine seed characters. Type I, including E. uniglandulosa, is characterized by the foveolate seed with granulate testa cells. Type II, including species E. exstipulata, E. lagunensis, E. bilobata, E. hexagonoides and E. chersonesa, was recognized by the presence of inter-cellular granules among testa cells. Type III, including E. cyathophora, has a seed with acute apex, and concentric circles on the surface of testa cells. Type IV, including species of E. dentata and E. pentadactyla, has a seed with caruncle and lacking inter-cellular granules among testa cells. Type V, including E. hexagona, was characterized by the ovate seeds and lacking inter-cellular granules. Type VI, including E. eriantha and E. lacera, was recognized by the seeds with rectangular shape with caruncle. Based on the seed morphology, sect. Zygophyllidium should be defined only species with E. exstipulata, E. lagunensis, E. bilobata, E. hexagonoides and E. chersonesa. E. hexagona, traditionally included in this section, was closely related to E. dentata from Poinsettia.