Taxonomic relationships of some taxa of the family Amaryllidaceae (s.l.) as reflected by macro- and micromorphological characters.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

2 Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Galala University, Suez, Egypt.

Abstract

Macro- and micromorphological characters of 31 taxa of Amaryllidaceae (representing 29 species and two varieties) were investigated. The foregoing data estimated based on the differences between them in the macromorphological characters viz. whole plant, habit, root, stem, leaf, inflorescence, flowers, and fruit characters in addition to micromorphological traits viz. root, stem, scape, a portion of the middle lamina characters and lamina epidermal characteristics. The data were numerically analyzed using NTSYS-pc program (version 2.02) (Rohlf, 2005). The main objective of the current investigation is interpreting the similarities and dissimilarities between the studied taxa to facilitate the separation and support the systematic position of these taxa within their specific categories. The conclusion of the study supports the separation of the examined taxa in two separate families; family Agavaceae which include the genera Agave and Furcraea and family Amaryllidaceae which divided into three subfamilies; Hypoxidoideae, Amaryllidoideae and Allioideae. Moreover, supports the transfer of the genus Molineria capitulata from family Hypoxidaceae to subfamily Hypoxideae under family Amaryllidaceae and does not support the grouping of Agave polianthes in family Agavaceae and also confirms returning the species name to Polianthes tuberosa. However, the present study confirmed the inclusion of Allium species in tribe Allieae and Agapanthus africanus and Tulbaghia violacea in tribe Agapantheae belong to subfamily Allioideae in the family Amaryllidaceae.

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