The seedling development of Titanotrichum oldhamii (Hemsl.) Solereder has been investigated to provide insight into the evolution and systematic position of Titanotrichum. In T. oldhamii,the size differentiation of the two cotyledons begins while the hypocotyl grows. However, both of the two cotyledons develop normally and locate at the same level. Finally, the two cotyledons are almost equal in size. The aerial shoot (including stem and leaves) is produced from the permanent activity of the apical meristem in the plumular bud. Even though the seedling development in Titanotrichum basically conforms to the general growth pattern of the seedling in the Cyrtandroideae, it is remarkably different from that of other Cyrtandroideae. Based on the revealed evidence in seedling development in Titanotrichum and other comparative data, the authors have evaluated the possible evolutionary pathway of Titanotrichum and further discussed the familial placement of this genus.
台闽苣苔（苦苣苔科）幼苗的发育式样及其意义
王印政1 李振宇1 潘开玉1 邹秀红2
(1. 中国科学院植物研究所系统与进化植物学重点实验室及植物标本馆，北京100093；2., 福建省永春县林业局，362600）
摘要： 为解决台闽苣苔族（Titanotricheae)这一单种族的科级系统位置，通过扫描电镜观察了台闽苣苔（Titanotrichum oldhamii (Hemsl.)Solereder)植物的种子发芽和幼苗发育过程，随着下胚轴的向下伸长，两个子叶开始不明显的异率生长，其中一片子叶略大于另一片子叶，但两片子叶均正常发育并位于同一高度，当真叶发出后，两片子叶几乎等大，并且两个子叶柄等长，在幼苗生长期间，随着子叶的生长，胚芽也正常萌发出茎的顶芽，顶芽持续进行顶端生长产生交互对生的真叶，这一幼苗生长式样和苦苣苔亚科其他类群的仅一片子叶发育与胚芽被抑制的幼苗生长式样有明显区别，考虑到台闽苣苔植物在总状花序的上部大量簇生无性珠芽，并落地迅速生长出新的植株这一在苔苣苔科中独特的无性繁殖方式及相关性状，台闽苣苔族可能较早地从苔苣苔亚科中分化出来，并在繁殖体的功能进化方面和其他类群发生歧化进而获得独特的无性繁殖方式，台闽苣苔族在系统发育上应该被认为是其他苦苣苔亚科类群的姊妹群，应当提升为亚科等级。
关键词： 幼苗发育；子叶；功能进化；科级系统位置；台闽苣苔属；苦苣苔科
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