Floral developmental morphology of three Indigofera species (Leguminosae) and its systematic significance within Papilionoideae

Inflorescence and floral development of three species of Indigofera (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae), I. lespedezioides, I. spicata, and I. suffruticosa, were investigated and compared with that of other papilionoid groups, especially with members of the recently circumscribed Millettioid clade, which was merged as sister to Indigofereae in a recent cladistic analysis. Although Indigofera is a genus of special interest, because of its great richness in species and its economic importance, few studies have been made of floral development in the genus or in Indigofereae as a whole. Flower buds and inflorescences were analysed at several stages of development in the three species. Our results confirmed that Indigofera species bear a usual inflorescence type among legumes, the raceme, which comprises flowers initiated in acropetal succession, each with a subtending bract and no bracteoles initiated. The inception of the floral organs is as follows: sepals (5), petals (5), carpel (1), outer stamens (5), and, finally, inner stamens (5). Organ initiation in the sepal, petal, and both stamen whorls is unidirectional, from the abaxial side; the carpel cleft is adaxial. The vexillum is larger than other petals at maturity, covering the keels, which are fused edge-to-edge. Nine filaments are fused to form an adaxially open sheath, and the adaxial stamen of the inner whorl remains free (diadelphous androecium) in the mid-stage of development. Most of the infra-generic differences occurred in the later stages of development. Data on floral development in Indigofera obtained here were also compared with those from other members of Papilionoideae. This comparison showed that the early expression of zygomorphy is shared with other members of the Millettioid clade but is rarely found in other papilionoids, corresponding to a hypothetically morphological synapomorphy in the pair Indigoferae plus millettioids.FAPESP[2002/11834-5]CAPESCNPq[301960/2009-7]CNPq[307627/2009-8

Estudos morfoanatômicos da semente e da plântula de espécies de Anileiras (Indigofera L., Leguminosae) Morpho-anatomical studies of seeds and seedlings of wild indigo, "anileira", Indigofera- Leguminosae

O nome popular "anileira" designa Indigofera anil L., I. suffruticosa Mill. e I. truxillensis Kunth, muito semelhantes quanto à morfologia externa. Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar se caracteres da semente e plântula apresentavam valor diagnóstico para este grupo, já que tais caracteres têm sido muito utilizados na Taxonomia de Leguminosae. A superfície e morfoanatomia de sementes e cotilédones foram estudadas por microscopias eletrônica de varredura e de luz, e as etapas do desenvolvimento das plântulas descritas. Embora as plântulas sejam semelhantes, caracteres de sementes (tamanho, forma, ornamentação da superfície, forma do hilo e tamanho do embrião) e cotilédones (forma, organização do parênquima lacunoso na nervura central e distribuição de metabólitos nos tecidos) apresentaram valor diagnóstico para as espécies. I. anil distingue-se de I. suffruticosa por suas sementes maiores e cotilédones com borda acuminada. I. truxillensis caracteriza-se por apresentar sementes cilíndricas e cotilédones reniformes contendo gotas de óleo e alcalóides. Nossos dados, a morfologia externa dos frutos (curvos em I. anil e I. suffruticosa, e retos em I. truxillensis) e, ainda, a anatomia foliar (células parenquimáticas grandes e fenólicas no floema de I. suffruticosa e sua ausência em I. anil) sugerem que I. anil, I. suffruticosa e I. truxillensis não devem ser sinonimizadas.<br>The common name "wild indigo" specifies Indigofera anil L., I. suffruticosa Mill. (legitimate name) and I. truxillensis Kunth (legitimate name) that are very similar due to their external morphology. This work analyzed diagnostic characteristics of seeds and seedlings of these species since such features are widely used in taxonomic approaches within Leguminosae. We studied surface features and morpho-anatomy of seeds and cotyledons with scanning electronic microscopy and light microscopy, and described seedling phases. Although seedlings are similar, seed characteristics (size, shape, surface ornamentation, shape of the hilum and embryo size) and cotyledon characteristics (shape, trichome ornamentation, organization of spongy parenchyma along central veins and metabolite distribution in the tissues) have diagnostic features for the species. I. anil differs from I. suffruticosa in its larger seeds and acuminate-margined cotyledons. I. truxillensis is recognized by its cylindrical seeds and kidney-shaped cotyledons with large oil drops. We assume that the characteristics examined, plus fruit morphology and foliar anatomy suggest that I. anil, I. suffruticosa and I. truxillensis should not be synonymized