Non-septate Fibres Research Articles

New fossil woods (upper Pleistocene) from the lower-middle Uruguay river basin (South America) reveal the past distribution of Aspidosperma (Apocynaceae)

The present work describes the taxonomic and paleobiogeographic study of two fossil woods related to extant Aspidosperma. The silicified specimens come from the fossil localities of Santa Ana (30°54′S, 57°55′W) and Concordia (31°19′S, 57°59′W), Entre Ríos Province, Argentina, belonging to the El Palmar Formation (Late Pleistocene). This unit represents the sedimentary body of the upper fluvial terrace generated by the Uruguay River in its middle basin in eastern Argentina. The anatomical features that distinguish the woods are growth rings delimited by axial parenchyma and fibers, semi-ring to-diffuse-porous woods; mainly solitary vessels; simple perforation plates; alternate, bordered, and vestured intervessel pits; scarce paratracheal and diffuse apotracheal axial parenchyma; homocellular, and uniseriate to-triseriate rays; non-septate fibers. Climate reconstruction modelled at the regional scale (Ecological Niche Modeling) revealed variations in macroecological diversity patterns of the nearest living relatives (Aspidosperma australe and A. polyneuron) over the last ca. 130,000 years. Optically stimulated luminescence dating of sediments from the upper part of the El Palmar Formation in the type area reveals that the unit spans from the Last Interglacial period (warm substage, MIS marine isotope stage 5a), to the penultimate interglacial (MIS 7). This period was characterized by warmer and wetter conditions than those observed today. The eco-anatomical characteristics of the fossil record reflect this type of environment. The modern analogues of the fossils studied here are now part of the forests that integrate the Atlantic forest and Araucaria forest biogeographic provinces in South America.

Characterization of Anatomical and Non-Anatomical Properties for the Identification of Six Commercial Wood Species from Vietnamese Plantation Forests

This study investigated the anatomical and non-anatomical characteristics of six wood species, Acacia mangium, Acacia hybrid, Dillenia pentagyna, Anacardium occidentale, Hevea brasiliensis, and Melaleuca cajuputi, from a plantation in Vietnam. The anatomical characteristics and non-anatomical characteristics were observed following the International Association of Wood Anatomists (IAWA) list. All species showed diffuse porosity and non-septate fibers. Exclusively solitary vessels were only observed in M. cajuputi. Vestured pits were observed in A. mangium, A. hybrid, and M. cajuputi, and tyloses were found in A. occidentale and H. brasiliensis. We observed vasicentric axial parenchyma in A. mangium, A. hybrid, A. occidentale, and H. brasiliensis, whereas diffuse axial parenchyma was observed in D. pentagyna and M. cajuputi. Further, prismatic crystals in the axial parenchyma cells existed in A. mangium, A. hybrid, and H. brasiliensis, and raphides in ray cells were observed in D. pentagyna. Silica bodies in ray cells were found in A. occidentale and M. cajuputi. H. brasiliensis exhibited the greatest vessel diameter and ray height, with D. pentagyna exhibiting the greatest fiber length and wall thickness. All the species showed considerable differences in heartwood fluorescence, water and ethanol extract colors, and froth test reactions.

Wood anatomy of 13 species from a successional tropical dry forest: description and ecological implications

Summary Successional tropical dry forest (TDF) species face water scarcity in the harsh dry season. Wood features provide insight into potential hydraulic stress coping mechanisms. Here, we describe the wood anatomy of 13 species occurring frequently in successional TDF. Given the marked rainfall seasonality of TDF, we expected these species to share conspicuous growth rings boundaries and drought-adapted anatomical features such as paratracheal parenchyma; although given the taxonomic and phenological diversity, a high wood diversity was also expected. Most species have diffuse-porosity. Axial parenchyma is diversely associated with vessels. Simple perforation plates are common and exclusive to all species. Different features poorly delimit growth boundaries, as previously observed in other tropical species. The main ground tissue is diverse, including nonseptate fibers, septate living fibers, or exclusively parenchyma. Axial and radial parenchyma may be scarce, abundant, or represent the main and unlignified ground tissue component. Vessel grouping ranges from solitary and 2–29 vessels per group. The mean vessel diameter range is ⩽50–200 μm; fiber walls are very thin to very thick. The anatomical features recorded among successional TDF species suggest different water stress coping mechanisms resulting from various anatomical combinations. Seven species exhibit wood features associated with drought tolerance (higher hydraulic redundancy, higher mechanical resistance, with vessel-ray connectivity likely given by banded parenchyma), whereas six species share xylem features associated with drought avoidance (taller and wider rays indicating higher water storage capacity). The complexity and multifunctionality of stem woody tissue should caution us against oversimplifying the relationship between anatomy, function, and ecological performance of TDF species.

New dicotyledonous woods from the San Carlos Formation (Upper Cretaceous) in Northern Mexico

Summary We describe two new fossil woods from the San Carlos Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Chihuahua State, Mexico. The first wood resembles the fossil genus Metcalfeoxylon in having solitary vessels, scalariform perforation plates, vessel-ray parenchyma pits of similar size as the intervessel pits, axial parenchyma apotracheal diffuse and diffuse in aggregates, and heterocellular multiseriate rays with long, uniseriate tails. The second wood is a new fossil genus, and it is characterized by having diffuse porous wood, vessels predominantly solitary, vessel outlines oval and tending to be of two diameter classes, simple perforation plates, minute alternate intervessel pits, vessel-ray parenchyma pits similar to intervessel pits in size and shape, vasicentric tracheids, non-septate fibers, homocellular rays, and exclusively uniseriate and biseriate rays. This combination of features supports its placement in Myrtales (?Myrtaceae), in a new fossil-genus named Lazarocardenasoxylon. These two new records provide more information about the floristic composition of the Late Cretaceous flora of the San Carlos Formation and its relationship with those from the southern USA. However, a definitive picture of the floristic relationship of these Cretaceous floras of northern Mexico and southern USA remains elusive.

Wood micro-morphological characteristics of the Tribe Dalbergieae in Nigeria

The present study examined the wood micro-characters of 18 species of the tribe Dalbergieae across 4 genera in Nigeria, following previously described methods by other authors. The species are distributed across all geo-ecological zones of the country but more abundant in the southern area which is characterized by higher precipitation. Findings clearly showed that members of the tribe Dalbergieae have more generic/tribal characteristics than delimiting characters. The species have certain unifying characters such as diffuse pore porosity, simple perforation plates, oblique to orthogonal vessel transverse wall inclination, prismatic/styloid crystals, and non-septate fibres. Vessels were longest and widest in D. saxatilis, about 197.89x104.23µm. On the contrary, the shortest was observed in D. hostilis - 67.62 µm while the narrowest was in D. oligophylla (28.4 µm). While fibre length was highest in P. mildbraedii (331.22 µm±7.5) and smallest in D. saxatilis (0.69 µm±0.0), the ray cells were longest in D. saxatilis (185µm) and shortest in P. santalinoides (41.82µm) respectively. We confirm here that anatomical studies should not be neglected in plant systematics, even though molecular approaches have been the focus in recent times.

Ficoxylon fusiforme (Moraceae), a New Species from the Upper Cretaceous Nubian Sandstone, Southern Egypt

A new species of Ficoxylon Kaiser (Moraceae) is described from the Upper Cretaceous Nubian Sandstone, Aswan area, southern Egypt. The new species, Ficoxylon fusiforme, is the third report of a Cretaceous wood attributed to Ficoxylon worldwide. The two other Cretaceous records, F. cretaceum Schenk and ?F. sp. of Krausel, are also from Egypt. Ficoxylon species are common in the Tertiary, from the Palaeocene to the Pliocene. An emended generic diagnosis is proposed for Ficoxylon, which was erected in 1880 with few details. The new species is compared with the 18 currently recognized species of Ficoxylon/Ficus; it is distinguished by a combination of characters: predominantly solitary, few, relatively wide vessels; axial parenchyma bands 3–8 cells wide; 2–7 seriate, spindle-shaped, closely spaced, and slightly heterocellular rays; thin-walled, nonseptate fibers. Comments are made on the Egyptian fossil remains of Moraceae and on all Egyptian Cretaceous wood taxa reported to date. Preliminary biogeographic and climatic implications are given.

Wood and bark anatomy of South African Picrodendraceae with systematic and ecological implications

Wood and bark structure of Androstachys johnsonii and Hyaenanche globosa (Picrodendraceae) is described. Two species share simple perforation plates, minute to small intervessel pits, and nonseptate fibres; these traits also reported in other Picrodendraceae. Androstachys is distinctive in having scanty paratracheal axial parenchyma and uniseriate rays with vessel-ray pits restricted to marginal cells. Bordered pits on fibre walls is an ancestral condition for the African Picrodendraceae. High vessel frequency and vessel grouping in Androstachys can be adaptive for semi-arid climate with wet summer. Both genera share the subepidermal phellogen initiation and the presence of thick-walled fibers and sclereids in secondary phloem. In Hyaenanche, the bark is dilated by stretching and divisions of parenchyma cells with formation of pseudocortex. Androstachys shows no ray dilatation, but sclerification of its parenchyma can make substantial contribution in bark expansion. Abundant trichomes on epidermis of young shoots of Androstachys are presumably involved in the water uptake from mists.

Wood anatomy of the neotropical liana lineage Paullinia L. (Sapindaceae)

Abstract The liana genus Paullinia L. is one of the most speciose in the neotropics and is unusual in its diversity of stem macromorphologies and cambial conformations. These so-called “vascular cambial variants” are morphologically disparate, evolutionarily labile, and are implicated in injury repair and flexibility. In this study, we explore at the finer scale how wood anatomy translates into functions related to the climbing habit. We present the wood anatomy of Paullinia and discuss the functional implications of key anatomical features. Wood anatomy characters were surveyed for 21 Paullinia species through detailed anatomical study. Paullinia woods have dimorphic vessels, rays of two size classes, and both septate and non-septate fibers. Fibriform vessels, fusiform axial parenchyma, and elements morphologically intermediate between fibers and axial parenchyma were observed. Prismatic crystals are common in the axial and/or ray parenchyma, and laticifers are present in the cortex and/or the early-formed secondary phloem. Some features appear as unique to Paullinia or the Sapindaceae, such as the paucity of axial parenchyma and the abundance of starch storing fibers. Although many features are conserved across the genus, the Paullinia wood anatomy converges on several features of the liana-specific functional anatomy expressed across distantly related lianas, demonstrating an example of convergent evolution. Hence, the conservation of wood anatomy in Paullinia suggests a combination of phylogenetic constraint as a member of Sapindaceae and functional constraint from the liana habit.

Wood anatomy of South African Meliaceae: evolutionary and ecological implications

AbstractWood structure in seven South African species of Ekebergia, Nymania, Trichilia and Turraea (Meliaceae) was studied and compared with data for other genera of the subfamily Melioideae to elucidate phylogenetic relationships and pathways of trait evolution in this group and to clarify the ecological significance of some wood characters. Non-septate fibres, the presence of crystals in axial parenchyma and relatively wide (> triseriate) heterocellular rays are the ancestral conditions for Melioideae. A loss of crystals confirms the monophyly of the clade embracing tribe Turraeeae and Pterorhachis. Uniseriate rays are synapomorphic for the Turraeeae+Trichilieae clade with secondary gains of wider rays in the Nymania+Pterorhachis lineage and in some species of Turraea and Trichilia. A close relationship between Nymania and Pterorhachis was also confirmed by their similarity in having small intervessel pits. Trichilia is distinctive by its homocellular rays made of square and upright cells. The close affinity between Ekebergia and Quivisianthe is confirmed by their similar composition of rays that consist only of procumbent cells. Nymania capensis and Turraea obtusifolia share narrower (< 50 µm) and more numerous (> 70 per mm2) vessel lumina than other species; these are adaptive features for their habitat.

A new species of Carlquistoxylon from the Early Cretaceous of Patagonia (Chubut province, Argentina): the oldest record of angiosperm wood from South America

ABSTRACT An angiospermous wood from the Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) of the Cerro Barcino Formation, Chubut Group, central Patagonia, Argentina, is described. Its estimated minimum diameter is 40 cm and it is significant as the oldest known angiosperm wood for South America. It has indistinct growth ring boundaries, vessels solitary and in radial multiples, simple perforation plates, alternate intervessel pits, vessel-ray parenchyma pits oval to horizontally elongated, heterocellular rays, non-septate fibres, axial parenchyma absent, and abundant tyloses. Because this Albian wood has non-septate fibres we assign it to Carlquistoxylon, even though it has a general combination of characters similar to that of Paraphyllanthoxylon, which has septate fibres. The number of vessels per radial multiple, vessel tangential diameter and frequency, vessel-ray parenchyma pitting, and absence of axial parenchyma distinguish the fossil described here from the only previously known species of Carlquistoxylon: Carlquistoxylon nacimientense; therefore, a new species is erected. Because of the close similarities between this new specimen and Paraphyllanthoxylon species, comparisons with all the species included in both genera are provided. Systematic affinities for this wood are discussed considering previous discussions for both Paraphyllanthoxylon and Carlquistoxylon affinities. As the oldest described angiosperm wood in South America to date, this specimen provides critical information on the diversity and growth habit of Cretaceous angiosperms from the Southern Hemisphere.

A new genus of Anacardiaceae fossil wood from El Bosque Formation (Eocene), Chiapas, Mexico

ABSTRACTWe describe a new fossil wood from the El Bosque Formation (Eocene) in Chiapas, southern Mexico. It has a combination of features found in the Anacardiaceae, including distinct growth rings, diffuse porosity, vessels solitary and in radial multiples of 2–3, simple perforation plates, medium to large alternate intervessel pits, vessel-ray parenchyma pits rounded and elongate with reduced borders, septate and non-septate fibers, axial parenchyma scanty paratracheal, vasicentric, apotracheal diffuse, Kribs heterogeneous rays type IIA, and multiseriate rays with radial canals. The mosaic of features of this wood supports the erection of a new genus, Bosquesoxylon Pérez-Lara, Castañeda-Posadas et Estrada-Ruiz. This new genus of anacardiaceous fossil wood extends our knowledge of this family’s history and offers hints on the possible relationships with floras from other localities worldwide, especially North America and Asia.

Redescription and reassignment of the fossil wood Menendoxylon piptadiensis from the Pliocene Andalhuala Formation, South America

A restudy of the holotype of the fossil wood Menendoxylon piptadiensis Lutz, 1987 has revealed that this taxon possesses several diagnostic anatomical features not associated with Leguminoseae-Mimosoideae to which it was originally referred. The combined presence of laticiferous tubes, axial parenchyma apotracheal diffuse and paratracheal vasicentric, strands of 2–7 cells, homocellular rays, simple perforation plates, vestured intervessel pits, and non-septate fibres with distinctly bordered pits are diagnostic characteristics that support its transfer to the family Apocynaceae and a particular resemblance with species of the tribe Willughbeieae within the subfamily Rauvolfioideae. The fossil is closest to Parahancornia fasciculata, Parahancornia peruviana and Couma guianensis, with anatomical characteristics especially similar those of Parahancornia fasciculata. The extant Parahancornia is most closely related to the fossil, supporting the hypothesis that this genus was more widespread in the past. Currently, it is distributed in the Neotropics, temperate Brazil and tropical South America (northern Bolivia, north-eastern Perú, Colombia and Guayana). The material studied here is the first fossil wood from South America with an affinity to Apocynaceae and a new combination is erected, Parahancornioxylon piptadiensis (Lutz) Moya & Brea gen. et comb. nov. Eco-anatomical characteristics, Carlquist's index and the nearest living relatives (NLRs) indicate a warmer and more humid climate in north-west Argentina during the Pliocene, probably associated with tropical forests.

Malvaceous wood from the Late Pleistocene El Palmar Formation of northeastern Argentina

We describe a new species of Bastardiopsis, Bastardiopsis palaeodensiflora sp. nov., which is the first fossil Malvaceae wood reported in Argentina. It was collected from the Arroyo Yuquerí of El Palmar Formation, a late Quaternary fluvial unit, located in the middle Uruguay River Basin, NE Argentina. The diagnostic features of this fossil wood are growth ring boundaries demarcated by marginal parenchyma; diffuse porous wood; vessels solitary and in radial multiples of 2–3 elements; alternate and minute-to-small sized intervessel pits; tyloses abundant; vessel-ray parenchyma pits similar in size and shape to intervessel pits; vasicentric, and diffuse axial parenchyma; rays of two distinct sizes, mostly 4–5 cells wide; prismatic crystals in upright and/or square marginal cells, sheath cells, non-septate fibres, rays and vessel elements irregularly storied. These features suggest an assignation to Bastardiopsis (K. Schumann) Hassler, a genus with five extant species, extending from the north of South America to northern Argentina, mainly distributed in tropical to temperate areas. The eco-anatomical features, the Nearest Living Relatives (NLRs), the Vulnerability Index, the Mesomorphy ratios and the Taxon Independent Approach (TIA) indicate that this fossil grew under temperate-warm and humid conditions. This is consistent with other proxies (geological, sedimentological and microfossil data) suggesting a similar environment for this region during some periods of the Late Pleistocene.

Wood functional anatomy of Chiococca alba Hitch. (Rubiaceae) from cerrado

The wood anatomy is able to evidence systematic and ecological aspects associated with the evolution and functionality of the secondary xylem. The present study was carried out using wood of Chiococca alba (Rubiaceae) from cerrado (savannah), to describe its anatomy and to verify if the hydraulic architecture of this species corroborates the theory that postulates the functional tendency that optimizes the transport efficiency associated with safety. The anatomical analysis followed the conventional protocols of wood anatomy. Different indexes of wood hydraulics quantification were calculated, such as solitary vessels index, vessel grouping, conductivity, vessel collapse, theoretical resistance to vessel implosion and mesomorphism. The structural characteristics described for C. alba are in agreement with the general anatomical descriptions for the Rubiaceae family that relate the presence of exclusively solitary vessels and small diameter, simple perforation plates, alternate intervessel pits, apotracheal parenchyma in species with non-septate fibers and narrow and heterogeneous rays. The calculated indexes showed that C. alba is a xerophyte species with great resistance to the collapse of the vessels during the transport of water, little vulnerability to embolism and relative efficiency in the transport when compared to other species of its subfamily (Cinchonoideae) in function of the typical low water availability of the savannah soil.

Wood functional anatomy of Chiococca alba Hitch. (Rubiaceae) from cerrado

The wood anatomy is able to evidence systematic and ecological aspects associated with the evolution and functionality of the secondary xylem. The present study was carried out using wood of Chiococca alba (Rubiaceae) from cerrado (savannah), to describe its anatomy and to verify if the hydraulic architecture of this species corroborates the theory that postulates the functional tendency that optimizes the transport efficiency associated with safety. The anatomical analysis followed the conventional protocols of wood anatomy. Different indexes of wood hydraulics quantification were calculated, such as solitary vessels index, vessel grouping, conductivity, vessel collapse, theoretical resistance to vessel implosion and mesomorphism. The structural characteristics described for C. alba are in agreement with the general anatomical descriptions for the Rubiaceae family that relate the presence of exclusively solitary vessels and small diameter, simple perforation plates, alternate intervessel pits, apotracheal parenchyma in species with non-septate fibers and narrow and heterogeneous rays. The calculated indexes showed that C. alba is a xerophyte species with great resistance to the collapse of the vessels during the transport of water, little vulnerability to embolism and relative efficiency in the transport when compared to other species of its subfamily (Cinchonoideae) in function of the typical low water availability of the savannah soil.

Fossil wood with dimorphic fibers from the Deccan Intertrappean Beds of India – the oldest fossil Connaraceae?

Wood of Connaroxylon dimorphum (Connaraceae, Oxalidales) from the Deccan Intertrappean Beds of India (KPg Boundary 65–67 MY BP) is described. It is characterized by parenchyma-like fiber bands alternating with normal fibers, septate and nonseptate fibers, vessel-ray pits with strongly reduced borders, uniseriate rays of square and upright cells, and radial tubules in the center of ray cells that are arranged in a herringbone pattern. The overall wood anatomy strongly resembles Melastomataceae p. p., Lagerstroemia p. p. (Lythraceae) and Connarus (Connaraceae). However, the shared radial tubules of Connarus and the fossil strongly tilt the evidence of botanical affinities towards this genus. This would represent the second and by far the oldest fossil wood record of the Connaraceae, also considerably older than the earliest fossil records of the family’s other plant parts, and one of the oldest fossils of the order Oxalidales.

A new fossil Fabaceae wood from the Pleistocene Touro Passo Formation of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

A fossil angiosperm wood from the Touro Passo Formation (Pleistocene) in the northwestern part of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, is described as the new fossil-taxon Itaquixylon heterogenum Benicio, Pires, Da Rosa, Spiekermann, Uhl et Jasper gen. nov. et sp. nov. The fossil wood is silicified, and is 9.9 cm in diameter and 16.6 cm in length, with small pith. The main anatomical features are diffuse porosity, vessels solitary and in radial multiples, simple perforation plates, alternate vestured intervessel pits, vessel-ray and vessel-parenchyma pits bordered, axial parenchyma scanty paratracheal and vasicentric, heterocellular rays, non-septate fibers, extremely short and with simple pits, as well as distinct growth rings. The unique set of anatomical features allows the proposing of a new fossil-genus with an affinity to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the Fabaceae. This record extends the area from which fossil woods are known in the western portion of Rio Grande do Sul State. The systematic classification proposed here, adds a new fossil-taxon related to the currently diverse family Fabaceae, thus contributing to knowledge of past biodiversity on the basis of wood anatomy in this family during the Pleistocene of Southern Brazil.

Legume Fossil Woods from the Arroyo Feliciano Formation (Late Pleistocene, Northeastern Argentina): Paleobiogeographic Implications

Fil: Brea, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro de Investigaciones Cientificas y Transferencia de Tecnologia A la Produccion; Argentina. Universidad Autonoma de Entre Rios; Argentina

Eocene dicotyledonous wood, Bischofia maomingensis sp. nov. from Maoming Basin, South China

Petrified dicotyledonous wood is reported for the first time from the Eocene Youganwo Formation of the Maoming Basin, South China. The combination of anatomical features including solitary and radial multiples of vessels, simple perforation plates, medium to large alternate intervessel pits, septate and non-septate fibers, rare axial parenchyma, heterocellular rays, and crystals in chambered ray cells and axial parenchyma cells occurs in extant Anacardiaceae, Burseraceae, Elaeocarpaceae, Salicaceae, Phyllanthaceae and the fossil wood genus Paraphyllanthoxylon. Closest resemblance to extant Bischofia javanica is justified and a new fossil wood species Bischofia maomingensis sp. nov. is proposed after comparing with these taxa. This is the earliest occurrence of fossil Bischofia woods in China, contributing to our scant knowledge of Chinese Paleogene angiosperm woods.

A New Late Cretaceous (Coniacian-Maastrichtian) Javelinoxylon Wood From Chihuahua, Mexico

We describe a new fossil wood from the San Carlos Formation (Coniacian- Maastrichtian) in Chihuahua, northern Mexico. This Malvaceae s.l. wood is diffuse porous, vessels are solitary and in radial multiples, simple perforation plates, small alternate intervessel pits, vessel-ray parenchyma pits that are rounded with reduced borders, septate and nonseptate fibers, homocellular and heterocellular rays, and storied rays and vessel elements. These features support its inclusion within the genus Javelinoxylon, Malvaceae s.l., which occurs in other Upper Cretaceous localities in northern Mexico (Olmos Formation) and Texas (Aguja and Javelina Formations). This San Carlos fossil wood is the earliest occurrence of storied structure in the fossil record and the earliest angiosperm record for the State of Chihuahua, Mexico.