The Heliconiaceae occupies a pivotal position in the phylogeny of the Zingiberales (see arrow on image - click here for image source). The family occurs between the ginger families (to the left of the arrow), and the three basal families related to the bananas (to the right of the arrow). The main morphological character that places them here is the possession of a staminode opposite one of the sepals in the Heliconiaceae. The ginger families all have a staminode in this position, the banana-related families do not.
The paper is a comprehensive description of flower development in one species of the Heliconiacae, Heliconia indica. In addition to discussing the placement of the family, we clarify the placement of the flowers in the inflorescence, and the evolution of the nectary in the order.
Kirchoff, B. K., L.P. Lagomarsino, W. H. Newman, M. E. Bartlett and C. D. Specht. in press. Early floral development of Heliconia latispatha Benth., a key taxon for understanding the evolution of flower development in the Zingiberales. American Journal of Botany
0 comments:
Post a Comment