Sherwin Carlquist, Pomona College; Rancho Santa Ana Pomona College
David A. Hoekman, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden

Wood Anatomy of Myoporaceae: Ecological and Systematic Considerations

DOI

10.5642/aliso.19861103.05

First Page

317

Last Page

334

Abstract

Quantitative and qualitative features are presented for 28 collections of three genera (Bontia, Eremophila, Myoporum); data on Oftia are also included since it is sometimes referred to Myoporaceae. Wood of all Myoporaceae represents variation on a basic plan: woods diffuse porous or semi-ringporous; vessels with simple perforation plates; lateral wall pits of vessels alternate and circular, with grooves interconnecting some pit apertures; vessels grouped to various degrees into radial multiples; imperforate tracheary elements all fiber-tracheids with pit cavities 1-5 μm in diameter (wider on contacts with ray cells), nonseptate; axial parenchyma vasicentric scanty plus, in some species, tangential para tracheal bands (sometimes terminal); rays multi seriate plus uniseriate (uniseriate almost exclusively in two species of Eremophila); ray cells procumbent exclusively, upright and square in uniseriate rays and in tips of multiseriate rays; rays storied in some species of Eremophila, axial parenchyma variously storied; crystals present in ray cells of some species of Eremophila and in fibers of E. polyclada; amorphous deposits and starch often present in parenchyma. Ofiia differs from Myoporaceae by having: septate libriform fibers rather than fiber-tracheids; large pits on vessel walls; axial parenchyma nearly absent; and erect cells predominant in rays. Oftia may be placed in Scrophulariaceae. Leucophyllum differs from Myoporaceae by having: helical thickenings in vessels; vasicentric tracheids transitional from vascular tracheids; scarce axial parenchyma; and erect cells predominant in rays. Leucophyllum may be excluded from Myoporaceae. Wood anatomy ofMyoporaceae shows relationship between Myoporaceae, Scrophulariaceae, and Gesneriaceae, and is also indicative of derivation from woody ancestors. Wood of Myoporaceae reflects xeromorphy, especially in Eremophila, but the foliar apparatus may partially preempt the role of wood in promoting safety, which is connoted by growth rings, narrow and numerous vessels, and grouped vessels.

Recommended Citation

Carlquist, Sherwin and Hoekman, David A. (1986) "Wood Anatomy of Myoporaceae: Ecological and Systematic Considerations," Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Floristic Botany: Vol. 11: Iss. 3, Article 5.
Available at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/aliso/vol11/iss3/5