Lyginiaceae, Two New Families of Poales in Western Australia, with Revisions of Hopkinsia and Lyginia
477 Hopkinsiaceae and Lyginiaceae, two new families of Poales in Western Australia, with revisions of Hopkinsia and Lyginia Barbara G. Briggs and L.A.S. Johnson† Abstract Briggs, Barbara G. & Johnson, L.A.S. (Royal Botanic Gardens, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia) 2000. Hopkinsiaceae and Lyginiaceae, two new families of Poales in Western Australia, with revisions of Hopkinsia and Lyginia. Telopea 8 (4): 477–502. Hopkinsia and Lyginia are excluded from Restionaceae and the new families Hopkinsiaceae and Lyginiaceae established. DNA sequence data from the chloroplast gene rbcL, the trnL intron and trnL–trnF intergenic spacer indicate that these genera are more closely allied to Anarthriaceae than to Restionaceae, although differing markedly from the former in vegetative morphology and anatomy. The contrasting results of cladistic analyses of DNA sequence data and morphological data are discussed, as are the reasons for excluding these genera from Restionaceae and Anarthriaceae. Extensive descriptions of the new families are given and a key provided to these and related families. The features that they share with Restionaceae are considered to be largely plesiomorphic within Poales or associated with their occurrence, like many Restionaceae, in conditions of seasonal drought. Occurring in a region of great diversity of Restionaceae, their distinctiveness was overlooked until the new DNA evidence became available. Distinctive features for Hopkinsia include the ovary structure, style with stigmatic branches that are themselves branched, fleshy pedicels, and fruit with both woody and fleshy layers. Distinctive for Lyginia are the oblique epidermal cells and stomates, distinctive chlorenchyma structure, fused staminal filaments, seed ornamentation and presence of unusual chemical constituents (allose, allosides and fructan-type oligosaccharides).
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