Abstract
Acanthochlamys bracteata is a Chinese endemic plant that first discovered, descripted and denominated by Kao in the West Hengduan Mountains of Sichuan Province. The anatomical characteristics of A. bracteata are very unique in monocotyledonous plants, such as the eustele in rhizome, protostele in root, as well as the leaf-stem compound structure in scape, which is the most special type in monocotyledonous plants, for the first time found. The coexistence of eustele and protostele in vascular bundle system suggested that Acanthochlamydaceae retains the ancestor of the original type, but also evolved derived type. It is absent of scattered bundles, which is the most derived bundles type in monocotyledons, but shows a transitional type between protostele and scattered bundles. The family, Acanthochlamydaceae, is a new monotypic family, which contains only one species. Phylogenetic results showed that Acanthochlamydaceae is a sister group of Velloziaceae. The close relationship with the two families indicated that the close floral relationship between Hengduan mountains and African tropical regions. In this paper, a comprehensive study was performed on the morphological characteristics, the status in the world flora, geographical distribution, phylogeny, origin, and other issues of Acanthochlamys bracteata.
Highlights
Acanthochlamydaceae is established by the author in 1989 based on Acanthochlamys P.C
Types were collected from Mount Yazhuo, Commune Yazhuo, Zhaba, Daofu County, Sichuan, China in May 1980. (Accession Number 310, Kao Pao-chun, Types was deposited to herbarium of Chengdu institute of biology, Academia Sinica)
The seeds of Acanthochlamys bracteatain natural state have to treat with frozen condition under -4°C for 7 days so as to terminate the period of dormancy [10]
Summary
Acanthochlamydaceae is established by the author in 1989 based on Acanthochlamys P.C. The family contains only one endemic species, Acanthochlamys bracteata P.C. Kao. Monotypic family is rarely found in the floristics research of seed plants in China, and is uncommon in the research of world Angiosperm flora. Monotypic family is rarely found in the floristics research of seed plants in China, and is uncommon in the research of world Angiosperm flora Studying this group is significantly helpful to understand the origin and evolution of angiosperms and biogeographic changes. The separation of the staminal-carpellary complex at the base of the hypanthium as seen in other monocots has not been observed. The emergence of a leaf trace or adventitious root connects the cortex with the medulla and determines the division of the vascular cylinder into three parts, which later separate into leaves (two-regions) and floral scape, only structure that exhibits six vascular bundles. The author gave a comprehensive overview of the morphological characteristics, the status in the world flora, geographical distribution, phylogeny, origin, and other issues of Acanthochlamys bracteata
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