Diversity of leaf anatomy within a single leaflet and between leaflets of four Butia (Arecaceae, Arecoideae) species

By

Noblick, Larry
Sant'Anna-Santos, Bruno Francisco

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021

Original Publication

PhytoKeys

Volume

180

Pages

31--52

Subjects

Anatomy , environmental variation , Interspecific variation , key

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers [2010]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.180.66018

 

Abstract

This paper is an investigation into how the anatomy changes within a leaflet and between the leaflets of a single leaf blade of Butia. Four species of Butia were studied: Butia paraguayensis, B. eriospatha, B. yatay and B. odorata. Changes in the anatomical characters are important because some have been used in keys to help separate the species. Recently, anatomical mid-rib characters were used in a key to separate species of Butia. We found that characters, such as abaxially projected or rounded mid-rib fibrous ring or number and arrangement of accessory bundles, do change within a single leaflet or between the leaflets of a single leaf blade. Growing conditions and leaf developmental maturity are also important factors that influence leaflet anatomy and may cause one to be misled in an identification key based on anatomical characters. We re-emphasize the importance of always sampling from the same part of the leaf, to have a broader sampling, be attentive to the environmental condition and health of the plant from which you are sampling and to consider population differences.