Frederic Lens, 2,7 Mary E. Endress, 3 Pieter Baas, 4 Steven Jansen, 5,6
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American Journal of Botany 96(12): 2168–2183. 2009. V ESSEL GROUPING PATTERNS IN SUBFAMILIES APOCYNOIDEAE AND PERIPLOCOIDEAE CONFIRM PHYLOGENETIC VALUE OF WOOD STRUCTURE WITHIN APOCYNACEAE 1 Frederic Lens, 2,7 Mary E. Endress, 3 Pieter Baas, 4 Steven Jansen, 5,6 and Erik Smets 2,4 2 Laboratory of Plant Systematics, Institute of Botany and Microbiology, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31 Box 2437, K.U.Leuven, BE-3001 Leuven, Belgium; 3 Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Z ü rich, Switzerland; 4 Nationaal Herbarium Nederland – Leiden University Branch, P.O. Box 9514, NL-2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands; 5 Jodrell Laboratory, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3DS, UK; and 6 Institute of Systematic Botany and Ecology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, D-89081, Ulm, Germany This study contributes to our understanding of the phylogenetic signifi cance and major evolutionary trends in the wood of the dogbane family (Apocynaceae), one of the largest and economically most important angiosperm families. Based on LM and SEM observations of 56 Apocynoideae species — representing all currently recognized tribes — and eight Periplocoideae, we found strik- ing differences in vessel grouping patterns (radial multiples vs. large clusters) between the mainly nonclimbing apocynoid tribes (Wrightieae, Malouetieae, Nerieae) and the climbing lineages (remaining Apocynoideae and Periplocoideae). The presence of large vessel clusters in combination with fi bers in the ground tissue characterizing the climbing Apocynoideae and Periplocoideae clearly contrasts with the climbing anatomy of the rauvolfi oids (solitary vessels plus tracheids in ground tissue), supporting the view that (1) the climbing habit has evolved more than once in Apocynaceae, (2) the three nonclimbing apocynoid tribes are basal compared to the climbing apocynoids, and (3) Periplocoideae belong to the crown clade. The wood anatomy within the nonclimb- ing and climbing lineages is rather homogeneous, although a combination of specifi c characters (e.g. presence of septate fi bers, axial parenchyma distribution, abundance of uniseriate compared to multiseriate rays, and presence and location of prismatic crystals) may be used to identify several tribes. Key words: Apocynaceae; Apocynoideae; APSA clade; climbing vs. nonclimbing anatomy; Periplocoideae; systematic wood anatomy; tribal classifi cation. The dogbane family is one of the largest families of angio- major objectives of the present work is to search for phyloge- sperms, with an estimated 375 genera and 5100 species ( En- netically informative wood anatomical characters that can help dress, 2004 ; Endress et al., 2007 ), and is broadly distributed us to identify clades that are mainly defi ned molecularly. mainly in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Apoc- The pantropical Apocynoideae sensu Livshultz et al. (2007) ynaceae are especially rich in bioactive secondary compounds are a paraphyletic subfamily harboring a broad array of differ- and have long been used in folk medicine to treat a wide range ent fl ower types and comprise about 860 species distributed of ailments, including cancer, malaria, diarrhea, diabetes, and among 81 genera and eight tribes, representing about 1/5 – 1/6 of skin diseases ( Schultes, 1979 ; Van Beck et al., 1984 ; Schultes the species diversity within the family ( Endress et al., 2007 ; and Raffauf, 1990 ; Neuwinger, 1994 ; Middleton, 2007 ). A Endress and Hansen, 2007 ). Subfamily Periplocoideae, on the number of genera are employed in modern medicine for a di- other hand, are much smaller, including about 190 species and verse array of uses such as controlling tumor growth in treating 33 genera restricted to the Old World, and have always been cancer (Balandrin et al., 1985; Moza, 2005 ), as antiplasmodial considered to be a natural group because of their very homoge- agents in parasitic infections ( Zirihi et al., 2005 ), as muscle re- neous fl oral structure ( Nilsson et al., 1993 ; Stevens, 2001 on- laxants during surgery ( Bisset, 1992 ) and as an appetite sup- ward; Endress et al., 2007 ; Venter, 2009 ). pressant in controlling obesity ( van Heerden, 2008 ). Because Both subfamilies can generally be distinguished by their related taxa often possess similar bioactive properties, it is ex- growth form and habitat preference. For instance, the bulk of pedient to have a better understanding of the generic affi nities the Apocynoideae have a climbing habit, from robust lianas in several apocynaceous lineages, including the subfamilies climbing 40 m or higher up into the canopy (e.g., Alafi a , Mot- Apocynoideae and Periplocoideae. Consequently, one of the andra , Oncinotis ) or festooning the branches of trees at forest margins (e.g., Peltastes ) to slender scramblers bending over 1 Manuscript received 27 April 2009; revision accepted 8 September 2009. shrubs and rocks in more open habitats (e.g., some species of Dr. Sherwin Carlquist (Santa Barbara Botanic Garden) is acknowledged Parsonsia ). The nonclimbing Apocynoideae are often small for his valuable comments on the manuscript. The curators of the xylaria of understory trees or shrubs growing in tropical lowland forests. Leiden, Kew, Madison, Tervuren, Utrecht, and Wageningen and Dr. Andr é In both subfamilies, some species can occasionally grow as li- Sim õ es (University of S ã o Paolo) generously offered wood samples. The anas as well as erect life forms (e.g., Cryptostegia , Mandev- authors thank Miss Nathalie Geerts (K.U.Leuven) for technical assistance. illa ). Whereas most Apocynoideae grow in humid tropical This work has been fi nancially supported by research grants of the lowland forests, some of them occupy drier scrub vegetations K.U.Leuven (OT/05/35) and the Fund for Scientifi c Research – Flanders (e.g., certain species of Aganosma , Amphineurion , Holarrhena , (Belgium) (G.0268.04). F.L. is a postdoctoral fellow of the Fund for Scientifi c Research – Flanders (Belgium) (F.W.O. – Vlaanderen). Parsonsia , Peltastes , Spirolobium , and Urceola ). Periplo- 7 Author for correspondence (e-mail: [email protected]) coideae, in contrast, are mainly smaller climbers (or occasion- ally epiphytes) restricted to the (sub)tropics of the Old World doi:10.3732/ajb.0900116 and inhabit mostly tropical evergreen or seasonal forests and 2168 December 2009] Lens et al. — Wood anatomy of Apocynoideae and Periplocoideae 2169 savannas, with a number of erect or straggling shrubs extend- 2007 ; Livshultz et al., 2007 ). Livshultz and coworkers (2007) ing into grasslands, Mediterranean regions and (semi)desert shed new light on the controversial relationships between and areas (e.g., Ectadium , Periploca, and Raphionacme ) ( Endress within Apocynoideae and Periplocoideae using a phylogenetic and Bruyns, 2000 ; Venter and Verhoeven, 2001 ; Ionta and analysis based on more than 1600 informative characters from Judd, 2007 ; Middleton, 2007 ; Venter, 2009 ). About one-third plastid DNA in combination with 16 morphological characters of the periplocoid genera have large semisubterranean tubers, ( Fig. 1 ). The resulting phylogeny rejects all traditional Apocyn- the great majority of which are restricted to arid and semiarid oideae tribes sensu Pichon (1950) and Leeuwenberg (1994) habitats in Africa ( Meve and Liede, 2004 ). These water-storing and the former Periplocoideae classifi cation of Venter and Ver- tubers aid the plants during times of water shortage and can hoeven (1997) . In their current circumscription, the paraphyl- reach sizable proportions and masses up to 100 kg ( Venter et etic Apocynoideae comprise eight tribes ( Fig. 1 ; Endress et al., al., 1990 , 2006 ; Klackenberg, 1999). 2007 ), whereas relationships within Periplocoideae are still Apocynaceae s.l. are one of the fi ve families nested within too insuffi ciently known to identify the major evolutionary Gentianales, where they stand out for the presence of latex (Ste- lines ( Ionta and Judd, 2007 ). With respect to the family classi- vens, 2001 onward; Middleton, 2007 ; Hagel et al., 2008 ). How- fi cation of Apocynaceae, subfamily Rauvolfi oideae forms a ever, the taxonomic position of Apocynaceae within the order basal grade, with Carisseae being sister to the APSA clade remains unclear, and insights about the higher-level intrafamil- (Apocynoideae, Periplocoideae, Secamonoideae, and Asclepia- ial relationships have changed dramatically over the years doideae) ( Livshultz et al., 2007 ). Within the APSA clade, three ( Struwe et al., 1994 ; Endress et al., 1996 ; Sennblad and Bremer, largely nonclimbing Apocynoideae tribes (Wrightieae, Nerieae, 1996 , 2002 ; Backlund et al., 2000 ; Endress and Bruyns, 2000 ; and Malouetieae) diverge fi rst, followed by the well-supported Potgieter and Albert, 2001 ; Bremer et al., 2002 ; Livshultz et al., crown clade, which is composed mainly of species with a de- 2007 ; Sim õ es et al., 2007; Fig. 1 ). For instance, the current sub- pendent (climbing or straggling) growth form. In this crown families Apocynoideae and Periplocoideae were formerly clade, Periplocoideae are sister (although without bootstrap placed into two different but closely related families, i.e., Apo- support) to a large group including subclades that correspond cynaceae s.s. (also including Rauvolfi oideae) and the former remarkably well with geographical regions: predominantly Asclepiadaceae (also including the currently recognized sub- Asian apocynoids (tribe Apocyneae), predominantly neotropi- families Asclepiadoideae