Document Type

Research

Keywords

legumes, Leguminosae, Papilionoideae, scanning electron microscopy, seeds, seed coat anatomy, taxonomy, testa topography

Abstract

Seeds of 340 species of 150 genera from 30 of the 32 tribes of Papilionideae were examined by SEM. Nine categories of testa patterns were established: levigate (smooth), rugulate (irregularly roughened), substriate (short parallel ridges), simple reticulate (meshwork of ridges enclosing single cells), multi-reticulate (primary plus secondary ridges), simple-foveolate (single cell ends isolated by grooves), multifoveolate (unit of several cells surrounded by grooves), lophate (short ridges with irregular sides), and papillose (single protruding epidermal cells). Patterns in about 85% of species are most conspicuous near the hilum, becoming attenuated or disappearing toward midseed. Vicieae, Trifolieae, and Cicereae, however, typically retain the pattern all over. Some tribes showed a variety of patterns, others had dominant patterns (Robineae and Phaseoleae-rugulate, Psoraleeae and Amorpheae-lophate, Vicieae and Trifolieae-papillose, Loteae and Coronilleaereticulate). Cicereae has large multicelluar plates which bulge or protrude conically or as long spines. Mirbelieae has an extremely thick rugulate cuticle underlain by an amorphous substance. Testa patterns seem taxonomically significant within or between certain tribes, but they do not identify broad evolutionary trends.

Publication Date

December 1981

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

Issue

First Page

180

Last Page

191

Copyright

Language

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Lersten, Nels R. (1981) "Testa Topography in Leguminosae, Subfamily Papilionoideae," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 88(4), 180-191.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol88/iss4/10

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Testa Topography in Leguminosae, Subfamily Papilionoideae

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