Santos IAWAet al. –Journal Wood anatomy 34 (3), 2013:of selected 313–323 Myrtaceae 313 WOOD ANATOMY OF MYRCIARIA, NEOMITRANTHES, PLINIA AND SIPHONEUGENA SPECIES (MYRTEAE, MYRTACEAE) Gabriel U.C.A. Santos1,*, Cátia H. Callado2, Marcelo da Costa Souza3 and Cecilia G. Costa4 1 Colégio Pedro II, CSCII, Campo de São Cristóvão 177, 20921-440 São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil 2Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, PHLC - sala 224, 20550-900 Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil 3Museu Nacional / UFRJ, Departamento de Botânica, Quinta da Boa Vista, 20940-040 São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil 4Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Laboratório de Botânica Estrutural, Rua Pacheco Leão 915, 22460-030 Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil *Corresponding author; e-mail:
[email protected] absTracT Myrciaria, Neomitranthes, Plinia and Siphoneugena are closely related genera whose circumscriptions are controversial. The distinctions between Myrciaria vs. Plinia, and Neomitranthes vs. Siphoneugena, have been based on a few fruit characters. The wood anatomy of 24 species of these genera was examined to determine if wood anatomical features could help delimit the genera. It was determined the four genera cannot reliably be separated by wood anatomy alone. Characteristics seen in all four genera are: growth rings usually poorly-defined; diffuse porous; exclusively solitary vessels, usually circular