Biosystematic Aspects of Polyscias J.R.& G.Forst. in Malesia and Australia

A revision of the Australian and Malesian species of Polyscias J. R. & G. Forst. (Araliaceae) is presented, and the taxonomic utility of numerous characters is discussed in relation to various taxonomic ranks. The classification places the 31 species within seven sections. Sect. Palmervandenbroe...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author Henwood, Murray James
Format Dissertation
LanguageEnglish
Published ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01.01.1988
Subjects
Biology
Cluster analysis
Discriminant analysis
Islands
Morphology
Native peoples
Ovaries
Pacific Rim Studies
Regional Studies
Taxonomy
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Summary:A revision of the Australian and Malesian species of Polyscias J. R. & G. Forst. (Araliaceae) is presented, and the taxonomic utility of numerous characters is discussed in relation to various taxonomic ranks. The classification places the 31 species within seven sections. Sect. Palmervandenbroekia (Gibbs) Philipson is reduced to synonymy with sect. Kissodendron(Seem.) Philipson and three new sections are proposed. Floral and leaf morphological variation within P. sambucifolioa (Sieber ex DC.) Harms (Sensu Lato) is analysed with multivariate numerical techniques. The use of electronically digitised leaf and leaflet outlines reveal this species to comprise three taxa which are recognised at the rank of subspecies. The genetic inter-relationships of these taxa are examined by way of a comparative study of their reproductive biology and cross compatibility. Polyscias sambucifolia subsp. sambucifolia . is found to be unilaterally incompatible with subsp. decomposita Henwood, and a dysploid population of subsp.leptophylla-f.enwood is shown to be sexually sterile.Palynological studies indicate the Australian and Malesian taxa to be morphologically and anatomically diverse. Sect Palmervandenbroekia and sect Kissodendron are separable from the other taxa by a number of palynological characters, and appear to be phenetically similar to taxa of Tetraplasandra and its allies. The systematic relationships of Australian and Malesian species are assessed numerically, and analyses of this type are shown to produce robust polythetic infra-generic classifications.
ISBN:9798759909293