Plant Diversity ›› 2013, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (3): 280-284.DOI: 10.7677/ynzwyj201313046

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Comparative Study on Plant Seed Morphological Characteristics of Zygophyllaceae and Two New Families Separated from It

ZHANG  Fa-Qi-1, FU  Peng-Cheng-1、2, GAO  Qing-Bo-1, LI  Yi-Hu-1、2, Gulzar  Khan1、2, CHEN  Shi-Long-1   

  1. 1 Key Laboratory of Adaption and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy
    of Sciences, Xining 810001, China; 2 University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China
  • Received:2013-03-20 Online:2013-05-25 Published:2013-04-12
  • Supported by:

    科技部科技基础性工作专项重点项目 (2007FY110100)

Abstract:

Seed morphology of 9 natural populations of 4 species (Sarcozygium xanthoxylom, Nitraria tangutorum, Nitraria sibirica and Peganum multisectum) on the QinghaiTibet Plateau, originally in the same family Zygophyllaceae, was observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The four species from the three new definition family have significant differences on seed morphology. Especially their seed surface is different from each other and difference among species is distinct. It shows that the character has important systematic significance among the three family. In addition, Seed morphological characteristics of the same species from different localities show no significant difference. Both demonstrate that the character is relatively stable within species. The findings of our study support that species in Nitariaceae and Peganaceae could be separated from Zygophyllaceae.It indicates that the stable characteristic could be an evidence for the current classification of the three families (Nitariaceae, Zygophyllaceae, Peganaceae) which have complex relationship.

Key words: Seed micromorphology, Zygophyllaceae, QinghaiTibet Plateau

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