Comparative floral structure and systematics in Chrysobalanaceae s.l. (Chrysobalanaceae, Dichapetalaceae, Euphroniaceae, Trigonaiceae; Malpighiales)

Chrysobalanaceae s.l., one of the few suprafamilial subclades of Malpighiales that is supported by molecular phylogenetic analyses, and containing Chrysobalanaceae, Dichapetalaceae, Euphroniaceae, and Trigoniaceae, was comparatively studied with regard to floral structure. The subclade is well supported by floral structure. Potential synapomorphies for Chrysobalanaceae s.l. are the following shared features: floral cup; flowers obliquely monosymmetric; sepals congenitally united at base; sepals of unequal size (outer two shorter); fertile stamens concentrated on the anterior side of the flower and sometimes united into a strap; staminodes absent in the posteriormost antepetalous position; anthers extremely introrse, with thecae almost in one plane; endothecium continuous over the dorsal side of the connective; dorsal anther pit; gynoecium completely syncarpous up to the stigma; carpel flanks slightly bulged out transversely and thus carpels demarcated from each other by a longitudinal furrow; flowers with dense unicellular, non-lignified hairs, especially on the gynoecium; light-coloured, dense indumentum on young shoots and inflorescences. Potential synapomorphies for Chrysobalanaceae + Euphroniaceae include: spur in floral cup; clawed petals; lignified hairs on petals; nectary without lobes or scales and mostly annular. Potential synapomorphies for Dichapetalaceae + Trigoniaceae include: special mucilage cells in sepals in mesophyll (in addition to epidermis); anthers almost basifixed; gynoecium synascidiate up to lower style; nectary with lobes or scales and semi-annular

The Gulf: Facies Belts, Physical, Chemical, and Biological Parameters of Sedimentation on a Carbonate Ramp

The Holocene of The Gulf, also referred to as the Arabian or Persian Gulf, is frequently cited as a classic example of a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic ramp system for an arid climate. This notion of a ramp is supported by the recognition that The Gulf area has a dominant shallow water carbonate/evaporite basin fill from the Permian to today despite a complex tectonic history (Alsharhan and Kendall 2003). The current depositional setting is that of a proximal foreland ramp (Burchette and Wright 1992; Evans 1995; Kirkham 1998). Walkden and Williams (1998), however, argue that since The Gulf has been above sea level for over much of the past 2.5 Ma, and since it is in tectonic, eustatic and depositional disequilibrium it should not be considered a ramp. Despite this controversy, the Holocene sedimentary fill of the current Gulf has been and will continue to be used as a model for a carbonate ramp. This interest in the area is hightened by the fact that is one of the few places in which Holocene dolomite and evaporites form.https://nsuworks.nova.edu/occ_facbooks/1039/thumbnail.jp