Micromorphology and anatomy of the cypselae of a complex of South American species in Chromolaena (Asteraceae, Eupatorieae, Praxelinae) LORENA NUNES LOURENÇO QUEIROZ, ANDERSON LUIZ CHRIST, JULIANA MARZINEK Phytotaxa, 2025 Chromolaena (Eupatorieae) contains numerous species complexes and taxa with challenging delimitation and overlapping morphological characteristics. The present study aims to utilize the anatomical characteristics of the cypsela of the Chromolaena congesta complex. To achieve this objective, cypselae from the herbarium specimens were analyzed for their anatomy. The studied species exhibit characteristic features common to the tribe, subtribe, and genus, such as the presence of phytomelanin between the outer and inner mesocarp. The distribution of trichomes on the cypselae was found to be quite variable among the species, and the presence of glandular trichomes in some species helps to distinguish them from others. These features can be compared to facilitate the identification of the species in the complex.
Wedelia figueiredoana (Asteraceae, Heliantheae), a winged cypselae new species of Wedelia for Brazil Vinicius R. Bueno, Leonardo S. Rodrigues, Francisco Diego Sousa, Izaías C. Souza, Juliana Marzinek, Danilo Marques Phytokeys, 2024 We describe one new species from Ceará state, Brazil: Wedelia figueiredoana. It is morphologically associated with W. bonplandiana, but distinguished by 0.25–1.05 cm leaf blade width (vs. 1.5–2.6 cm), linear to narrow oblong leaf blade (vs. elliptic to spatulate), 3-seriate involucre (vs. 2-seriate), and cypselae 3.9–4 mm long (vs. 6–7 mm). An anatomical analysis of cypselae is provided, and we propose a more accurate terminology to describe similar wings to Wedelia species. We also provide a scientific illustration of the new species, photos of habitat, a map of its geographic occurrence, and its taxonomic affinities are discussed with a taxonomic key to the Wedelia species with the apically pronounced wings in the cypselae.
Lectotypifications in Imperata (Poaceae: Panicoideae: Andropogoneae) BIANCA LETICIA DE SOUZA PINTO, JEFFERSON PRADO, JULIANA MARZINEK, CASSIANO A. DORNELES WELKER Phytotaxa, 2023 Imperata is a cosmopolitan grass genus with species well distributed across the American continent. During taxonomic studies of the genus, we observed problems in the typification of five names of Imperata species from the New World: I. arundinacea var. americana, I. brasiliensis, I. brasiliensis var. mexicana, I. brevifolia, and I. minutiflora. In this paper, we designate lectotypes for these names and present images of the chosen lectotypes.
Systematic significance of cypselae in the Calea teucriifolia complex DANILO MARQUES, VINÍCIUS RESENDE BUENO, ARISTÔNIO MAGALHÃES TELES, JULIANA MARZINEK Phytotaxa, 2022 The Calea teucriifolia group is composed by four species of the tribe Neurolaeneae (Asteraceae). Despite numerous attempts to taxonomically understand this group of species through macromorphological characters, no progress has been made due to the overlapping of these characters. Therefore, we propose to evaluate the taxonomic values of cypselae morphology and anatomy for this group. Studies focused on cypsela have represented an advance, since patterns of phytomelanin deposition, pericarp and pappus morphology have allowed classifications within Asteraceae. Our results demonstrate that the cypselae of the analyzed group have a high morphological uniformity. Hence, cypsela morphology does not have characters that support separation of the species. However, the patterns of phytomelanin deposition in this group represent an anatomical novelty in Calea, and perhaps, in Neurolaeneae. The Calea teucriifolia group has the same deposition pattern observed in the tribe Eupatorieae. New systematic approaches are needed to solve taxonomic questions in the Calea teucriifolia group, and an expansion of the cypsela anatomical studies of the Neurolaeneae genera could demonstrate whether the Eupatorieae phytomelanin pattern of deposition could correspond to an apomorphy for the tribe.
Heterocarpy in Dipterocypselinae (Asteraceae): Morphology, anatomy and systematic significance Juliana Marzinek, Jimi Naoki Nakajima, Danilo Marques, Orlando C. De-Paula South African Journal of Botany, 2022 Heterocarpy occurs when a plant produces fruits of more than one distinct shape. This phenomenon may result in different dispersion, dormancy, and germination, enabling survival in diverse environmental conditions. Heterocarpy is common in Asteraceae, and one of its most extreme examples occurs in Heterocypsela H.Rob. However, the difference between outer and inner cypselae can be originated from its developmental stage. Even with doubts, heterocarpy is applied to circumscribe Heterocypsela, Allocephalus Bringel, J.N.Nakaj. & H.Rob., Dipterocypsela S.F.Blake, and Manyonia H. Rob. in the subtribe Dipterocypselinae S.C.Keeley & H.Rob. A recent phylogenetic study has also raised uncertainties about the Dipterocypselinae monophyly and, consequently, the importance of the heterocarpy and pericarp crystals in the subtribe circumscription. Thus, we reviewed the heterocarpy and its systematic significance in the Dipterocypselinae, using light microscopy and SEM techniques. Our results confirmed the heterocarpy in Heterocypsela, reaffirmed it in Allocephalus and Dipterocypsela, and refuted its loss hypothesis in Manyonia. However, the heterocarpy was not homologous between studied genera and should not be applied as a parameter to group them. The pericarp tissue organization of the studied species, including crystals, was similar to previously studied Vernonieae Cass., reaffirming the systematics significance of the pericarp anatomy at a tribal level. Gaps in the Vernonieae cypselae knowledge hampered the morphological approximation of Allocephalus gamolepsis from Lychnophorinae, and Heterocypsela from Chrestinae-Vernoniinae. However, the Vernonieae morphology comparison demonstrated fruitful, mainly to assess the systematic significance and evolutionary patterns of the cypselae tribe.
Comparative cypsela morphology in Campuloclinium DC. and contributions to Eupatorieae tribe (Asteraceae) systematics DANILO MARQUES, RAFAEL O. FRANCA, GABRIELA E. FARCO, JULIANA MARZINEK Anais Da Academia Brasileira De Ciencias, 2022 Cypselae anatomical studies have helped to understand the evolution and classification of some groups within Asteraceae. In Eupatorieae, there are many uncertainties about the Campuloclinium circumscription. There are currently two classifications for the genus, and still no consensus for their delimitation. Since structural studies have contributed to the delimitation of groups in Asteraceae, we studied the cypselae of Campuloclinium, searching how the pericarpial taxonomic features could enlighten the genus classification. We studied the fruits of eleven species of this genus through morphological and anatomical observation. Our results showed relevant features to the classification of Campuloclinium and its closely related groups. The stipitate cypsela together with other diagnostic characters are relevant to delimitation of this genus within of Eupatorieae. The trichomes present in cypselae have taxonomic proved to be a possible diagnostic character for the genus, and the six-celled trichomes are essential to distinguish C. campuloclinioides and C. hirsutum. The combination of phylogenetic and structural studies may lead to future research on the delimitation of Campuloclinium and its clades and understand how the stipitate cypselae and the phytomelanin layer evolve in Eupatorieae.
A new report of phytomelanin in cypselae of vernonieae: The case of the type species of lychnophora mart DANILO MARQUES, JULIANA MARZINEK, ORLANDO C. DE-PAULA Anais Da Academia Brasileira De Ciencias, 2021 Phytomelanin is a mechanically hard, blackish, and inert substance rarely found in plants. In Asteraceae, this substance was historically associated with the Heliantheae alliance, but recent studies have observed it in unrelated groups as Heterocoma and Wunderlichia. During a taxonomic investigation, we found phytomelanin in cypselae of Lychnophora salicifolia an unusual feature in Vernonieae previously found only in Heterocoma. Furthermore, phytomelanin fills the intercellular spaces of the sclerenchymatic outer mesocarp in L. salicifolia. Our results doubt the (syn)apomorphy status in Heterocoma, suggest the phytomelanin may have not the same evolutionary significance in Lychnophorinae as in other tribes and proposes new perspectives for evolutionary studies in Asteraceae.
Comparative Anatomy of Cypselae in the Complex Group Chrysolaena, Echinocoryne, Lepidaploa, and Lessingianthus: Contributions to the Systematics of Vernonieae (Compositae) Danilo Marques, Rafael de Oliveira Franca, María Betiana Angulo, Gisela Mariel Via do Pico, Massimiliano Dematteis, Juliana Marzinek Systematic Botany, 2020 —Circumscription of genera in the tribe Vernonieae is complex due to overlapping morphological features among genera such as Chrysolaena, Echinocoryne, Lepidaploa, and Lessingianthus. These genera have been segregated from the genus Vernonia s. l., but their classification remains questionable because they lack clear diagnostic characters to contribute to this classification. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of the anatomy of cypselae for classification in Compositae; cypselae provide diagnostic characters for some genera. We studied the anatomy of the cypselae, including pericarp, callus, carpopodium, and pappus of Chrysolaena, Echinocoryne, Lepidaploa, and Lessingianthus, evaluating their potential for clarifying systematic problems in these genera. Our study demonstrated the cypselae features are uniform, and they do not contribute diagnostic characters useful in generic circumscription; however, cypselae anatomical characters do segregate some species. Our data also suggest that Chrysolaena, Echinocoryne, Lepidaploa, and Lessingianthus should be circumscribed in a single genus Lepidaploa.
Seed ontogeny in Eupatorieae: development and functional aspects Juliana Marzinek, Denise Maria Trombert Oliveira Feddes Repertorium, 2019 Changes in the role of the seed coat during seed development have not been extensively examined, mainly because the greater emphasis is usually placed upon its function in the mature seed. Additionally, there have been few studies on the seeds of Asteraceae, and those that have been undertaken rarely addressed functional aspects of seeds. The present study examined seed ontogeny in species of Eupatorieae (Asteraceae) and investigated the role of the seed coat in seed nutrition and abortion. A new pattern of seed vasculature was encountered for the family, in addition to two other types previously described for other species. The most significant role of the seed coat among the species of Eupatorieae examined was in seed nutrition. The inner mesotesta is consumed during seed development, while the remaining layers collapse at maturity and cease to function. Seed abortion was observed in all of the species examined, varying from 95% in Symphyopappus reticulatus to 18.5% in Vittetia orbiculata. Changes in endothelial tissue were found in all episodes of abortion, although variation was observed concerning remnant structures and their degree of development. The young seed coat in Asteraceae has a nutritive role, while at maturation the pericarp serves a protective function.
