Verhuellia is a segregate lineage in Piperaceae: more evidence from flower, fruit and pollen morphology, anatomy and development

Background and Aims The perianthless Piperales, i.e. Saururaceae and Piperaceae, have simple reduced flowers strikingly different from the other families of the order (e.g. Aristolochiaceae). Recent molecular phylogenies proved Verhuellia to be the first branch in Piperaceae, making it a promising object to study the detailed structure and development of the flowers. Based on recently collected material, the first detailed study since 1872 was conducted with respect to morphology, anatomy and development of the inflorescence, pollen ultrastructure and fruit anatomy. Methods Original Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Light Microscopy (LM) observations on Verhuellia lunaria were compared with Piperaceae, Saururaceae and fossils. Key results The inflorescence is an indeterminate spike with sessile flowers, each in the axil of a bract, developing in acropetal, helical succession. Flowers consist of two (occasionally three) stamens with basifixed tetrasporangiate anthers and latrorse dehiscence by a longitudinal slit. The gynoecium lacks a style but has three to four stigma branches and a single, basal orthotropous, and unitegmic ovule. The fruit is a drupe with large multicellular epidermal protuberances. The pollen is very small, inaperturate, and areolate with hemispherical microechinate exine elements. Conclusions Despite the superficial similarities with different genera of Piperaceae and Saururaceae, the segregate position of Verhuellia revealed by molecular phylogenetics is supported by morphological, developmental and anatomical data presented here. Unitegmic ovules and inaperturate pollen, which are synapomorphies for the genus Peperomia, are also present in Verhuellia

VARIASI ANATOMI DAUN (STOMATA DAN PERTULANGAN DAUN) PADA FAMILI PIPERACEAE DI BANDEALIT TAMAN NASIONAL MERU BETIRI (TNMB)

Indonesia is the center of diversity of the Piperaceae family. Piperaceae is often used as traditional medicine, food, ornamental plants, ritual plants and as an economic value for the community. Anatomical utilization of Piperaceae is still not widely done. Therefore, this research is important to find out the members of Piperaceae when viewed from the anatomy of stomata and leaf reinforcement. The purpose of this study was to determine the types of plants of the Piperaceae family found in Bandealit TNMB and to determine variations in stomatal anatomy and leaf reinforcement in the Piperaceae family. The type of research used is descriptive qualitative quantitative research. The results showed that the stomata in the Piperaceae family varied as well as the leaf reinforcement they had. The Piperaceae family found in Bandealit TNMB comes from 2 genera, namely the Piper genus and the Peperomia genus, each of which has varied stomata and leaf reinforcement. Further research needs to be done on stomata and leaf reinforcement in the Piperaceae family

KEANEKARAGAMAN TUMBUHAN SUKU PIPERACEAE DI KAWASAN AIR TERJUN LOMBONGO PROVINSI GORONTALO

Tumbuhan suku Piperaceae merupakan kelompok tumbuhan berbunga yang mempunyai ciri khas aromatik dan hidup di daerah hutan hujan tropika. Berdasarkan survei awal di kawasan air terjun Lombongo Provinsi Gorontalo, wilayah Taman Nasional Bogani Nani Wartabone, didapati berbagai spesies dari suku Piperaceae. Namun belum teridentifikasi jenis Piper apa saja serta bagaimana nilai indeks keanekaragaman di kawasan air terjun tersebut. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui bagaimana keanekaragaman jenis tumbuhan suku Piperaceae yang ada di kawasan air terjun Lombongo Provinsi Gorontalo. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan metode eksploratif atau jelajah dengan menggunakan teknik sampling Probability Sample. Hasil penelitian menemukan 9 jenis tumbuhan suku Piperaceae dengan dua cara hidup yang berbeda yakni, terstrial dan epifit. Nilai indeks keanekaragaman tumbuhan suku Piperaceae yang terdapat di kawasan air terjun Lombongo adalah 2.17 dengan kriteria sedang yang menunjukan keadaan ekosistem yang cukup stabil

Crassulacean acid metabolism in the Gesneriaceae

The occurrence of the Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) was studied in four epiphytic species of the Gesneriaceae: two neotropical species, Codonanthe crassifolia and Columnea linearis, and two paleotropical species, Aoschynanthus pulcher and Saintpaulia ionantha. Gas exchange parameters, enzymology, and leaf anatomy, including mesophyll succulence and rel­ ative percent of the mesophyll volume occupied by airspace, were studied for each species. Codonanthe crassifolia was the only species to show nocturnal CO2 uptake and a diurnal organic acid fluctuation. According to these results, Codonanthe crassifolia shows CAM-cycling under well-watered conditions and when subjected to drought, it switches to CAM-idling. Other characteristics, such as leaf anatomy, mesophyll succulence, and PEP carboxylase and NADP malic enzyme activity, indicate attributes of the CAM pathway. All other species tested showed C3 photosynthesis. The most C3-like species is Columnea linearis, according to the criteria tested in this investigation. The other two species show mesophyll succulence and relative percent of the leaf volume occupied by airspace within the CAM range, but no other characters of the CAM pathway. The leaf structure of certain genera of the Gesneriaceae and of the genus Peperomia in the Piperaceae are similar, both having an upper succulent, multiple epidermis, a medium palisade of one or a few cell layers, and a lower, succulent spongy parenchyma not too unlike CAM photosynthetic tissue. We report ecophysiological similarities between these two distantly related families. Thus, the occurrence of CAM-cycling may be more common among epiphytic species than is currently known

Preferências alimentares de insetos por espécies de Piperaceae, observadas na cidade de São Paulo, Brasil

Piperaceae species have been placed among the basal angiosperm and are adapted to a variety of habitats including moist forests, secondary vegetation and dry high lands. The major anatomical/morphology features are of small trees, vines, and shrubs for Piper species, while the epiphytic and succulent characteristics are predominant forms among Peperomia species. Their secondary chemistry can be mostly represented by amides, phenylpropanoids/lignoids, and chromenes in addition to a phletoria of biosynthetically mixed-origin secondary compounds. Although several amides and lignans are known as insecticides, several phytophagous insects, among which some considered pests of economic importance, have been observed feeding vigorously on Piperaceae species. Herein we describe the feeding preferences of fourteen phytophagous species of Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Hemiptera over approximately fifty Piperaceae species observed in São Paulo, SP, Brazil, in a long-term basis.As espécies de Piperaceae têm sido posicionadas entre as angiospermas basais e são frequentemente encontradas em habitats diversificados que incluem matas ciliares, vegetação secundária e campos rupestres. As espécies de Piper possuem hábitos de plantas herbáceas, arboretos e trepadeiras enquanto que, no caso de Peperomia, é freqüente o hábito de epífitas e suculentas. As classes de metabólitos secundários que caracterizam espécies de Piperaceae são amidas, fenilpropanóides/lignóides e cromenos, além de diversos outros de origem biossintética mista de menor representatividade. Apesar de muitos desses possuírem atividades inseticidas, diversos insetos fitófagos, alguns considerados pragas de importância econômica, foram observados alimentando-se de espécies de Piperaceae. Neste trabalho são relatadas as preferências alimentares de quatorze espécies fitófagas de Coleoptera, Lepidoptera e Hemiptera sobre aproximadamente cinqüenta espécies de Piperaceae observadas em São Paulo, SP, Brasil, durante um período de quatro anos

A comparison of leaf crystal macropatterns in the two sister genera Piper and Peperomia (Piperaceae)

Premise of the study: This is the first large-scale study comparing leaf crystal macropatterns of the species-rich sister genera Piper and Peperomia. It focuses on identifying types of calcium oxalate crystals and their macropatterns in leaves of both genera. The Piper results are placed in a phylogenetic context to show evolutionary patterns. This information will expand knowledge about crystals and provide specific examples to help study their form and function. One example is the first-time observation of Piper crystal sand tumbling in chlorenchyma vacuoles. Methods: Herbarium and fresh leaves were cleared of cytoplasmic content and examined with polarizing microscopy to identify types of crystals and their macropatterns. Selected hydrated herbarium and fresh leaf punches were processed for scanning electron microscopy and x-ray elemental analysis. Vibratome sections of living Piper and Peperomia leaves were observed for anatomical features and crystal movement. Key results: Both genera have different leaf anatomies. Piper displays four crystal types in chlorenchyma-crystal sand, raphides, styloids, and druses, whereas Peperomia displays three types-druses, raphides, and prisms. Because of different leaf anatomies and crystal types between the genera, macropatterns are completely different. Crystal macropattern evolution in both is characterized by increasing complexity, and both may use their crystals for light gathering and reflection for efficient photosynthesis under low-intensity light environments. Conclusions: Both genera have different leaf anatomies, types of crystals and crystal macropatterns. Based on Piper crystals associated with photosynthetic tissues and low-intensity light, further study of their function and association with surrounding chloroplasts is warranted, especially active crystal movement

Caracterização de sementes de Piper hispidum e Eugenia punicifolia.

O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a caracterização das sementes de Piper hispidum (Piperaceae) e Eugenia punicifolia (Myrtaceae), espécies de Piperaceae da Coleção de Plantas Medicinais, Aromáticas e Condimentares da Embrapa Amazônia Ocidental (Manaus/AM)

ANATOMI DAUN PIPERACEAE DARI KAWASAN GUNUNG SLAMET, JAWA TENGAH

Leaf anatomy of Piperaceae from Gunung Slamet, Central Java has made with standard paraffin and paradermal method. The results showed that Piperaceae has dorsiventral leaf, hypostomatatic or amphistomatatic, tetracytic and cyclocytic stomata type. Hypoderm tissue exist in upper and/or lower part of leaf, mesophyll was arranged by 1-2 layers of palisade and 2-7 layers of sponge tissue. There were 3 types of trichome i.e. glandular trichome which had globose cell with short stalk, bicellular glandular trichome and multicellular & uniseriate non-glandular trichome. The shape of the crystal of Piperaceae from gunung Slamet are sand, needle, drusse or prismatic which distributed in hypodermis, mesophyll and midrib. Piperaceae petiole was arranged by open or sometimes closed circle vascular bundles. These open vascular bundles were crescent shape or resemble to U and V shapes