56 Seed morphology in Thysanotus and related genera of Asparagaceae: Lomandroideae: Cordylineae Udani M. Sirisena1,2, Terry D. Macfarlane3 and John G. Conran4 1Western Australian Herbarium, Department of Environment and Conservation, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983 2ecologia Environment, 1025 Wellington Street, West Perth, WA 6005 3Western Australian Herbarium, Manjimup Research Centre, Department of Environment and Conservation, Locked Bag 2, Manjimup, WA 6258 4Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005 Corresponding author email: [email protected] The limited literature on seed morphology in Asparagaceae subfamily Lomandroideae indicates that, although taxonomically useful, seed characters are largely unknown for Thysanotus and related genera. Although there are two clear tribal lineages within subfamily Lomandroideae—Lomandreae and Cordylineae—only the former are morphologically readily recognisable. Accordingly, seed morphology in Thysanotus and related members of Cordylineae was investigated in order to determine which characteristics may have systematic and/or phylogenetic value. Seed patterns were phylogenetically informative and observed variation in seeds distinguished different species and different groups of species; for example, angular seeds were unique to most of the annual climbing Thysanotus species, while elongated seeds with long-stalked arils were restricted to all 3-staminate Thysanotus species. All studied Cordylineae (including Thysanotus) shared numerous common seed morphological features, such as polygonal epidermal cells and convex periclinal walls. In particular, Murchisonia and Thysanotus possessed a large number of common seed characteristics, supporting recent molecular results that show Murchisonia to be polyphyletic and nested within Thysanotus. Assessment of genetic diversity in rhubarb (Rheum ribes, Polygonaceae) Ghadir H. Taheri Department of Plant Biology, Neyshabur Branch, Islamic Azad University, Neyshabur, Iran Email: [email protected] Rhubarb (Rheum ribes) is a cool season vegetable and an important traditional medicine plant. However, the wild resource has been declining. In order to design appropriate conservation methods for the species across its natural distribution, it is important to characterise its genetic diversity. In this study, I isolated salt soluble globulins and alcohol soluble prolamines from 33 populations of rhubarb from 13 geographically distinct populations in Iran, and resolved them by SDS-PAGE. I also used genomic DNA-based AFLPs from fresh leaves of greenhouse- cultivated plants. Genetic distance between populations was calculated using Euclidian Distance Efficiency. The globulin proteins were very similar in their polypeptide profiles and hence offered little promise of ecotype identification; however, SDS-PAGE analysis of prolamines effectively differentiated the rhubarb ecotypes on the basis of presence or absence of a unique polypeptide. Results of this study indicate that different ecological conditions affected genetic diversity, and SDS-PAGE analysis of alcohol soluble prolamins and AFLPs are reliable methods for identification of rhubarb populations. Program and Abstracts Australasian Systematic Botany Society Conference 2012 Local knowledge, global delivery 23–28 September, Perth, Western Australia ASBS2012 CONFERENCE PERTH.