Abstract
This study of the vegetative anatomy of Picrodendron and some of its putative relatives has been undertaken in order better to understand its natural relationships. Despite the number of anatomical studies in the literature (Jadin, 1901; Solereder, 1908; Boas, 1913; Webber, 1936; Heimsch, 1942; Record & Hess, 1943; Metcalfe & Chalk, 1950), our information on the anatomy of Picrodendron is still incomplete· for example, nodal and petiolar anatomy has apparently never been described. Furthermore, with the exception of Record and Hess (1943), who discussed Picrodendron in a family by itself, other anatomists have compared Picrodendron only with members of Simaroubaceae, although sometimes doubting that its anatomical similarities with the subfamily Irvingioideae reflected a natural relationship (Boas, 1913; Webber, 1936; Heimsch, 1942). In this paper, the anatomy of Picrodendron is described in detail; it is compared to that of its putative relatives and for the first time, to that of Euphorbiaceae.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1977
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 1977, Arnold Arboretum. This article first appeared in Journal of Arnold Arboretum: 58 (1977), 257-279.
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Recommended Citation
Hayden, W. John. "Comparative Anatomy and Systematics of Picrodendron, Genus Incertae Sedis." Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 58 (1977): 257-79.