The ``Lianescent Vascular Syndrome{''} statistically supported in a comparative study of trees and lianas of Fabaceae subfamily Papilionoideae

Author(s)

Dias Leme, Claudia Luizon ^[1] ; Pace, Marcelo Rodrigo ^[2] ; Angyalossy, Veronica ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Ecol & Evolutionary Biol, BR-09972270 Diadema - Brazil

^[2] Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Biol, Dept Bot, Circuito Zona Deport S-N Ciudad Univ, Mexico City 04510, DF - Mexico

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Biosci Inst, Dept Bot, Rua Matao 277, Cidade Univ, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society; v. 197, n. 1, p. 25-34, SEP 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Lianas are one of the most iconic elements of tropical forests and their presence is a major feature of these biomes. Here we aim to describe and compare the wood of key genera of Fabaceae subfamily Papilionoideae comprising both trees and lianas. Thirty-eight species from the genera Machaerium, Dalbergia, Clitoria and Dioclea were sampled to establish the main quantitative features that differentiate lianas and trees, the so-called ``Lianescent Vascular Syndrome{''}. Variance analyses were carried out to diagnose the anatomical differences between trees and lianas. Whereas most studies focused on qualitative features, this study focused on a statistical, quantitative comparison of lianas and trees of Papilionoideae, some not previously analysed anatomically. Our results show that lianas are quantitatively different from trees in having wider and more frequent vessels, a higher percentage of axial and radial parenchyma relative to fibres, greater ray height and width and longer fibres, statistically corroborating the ``Lianescent Vascular Syndrome{''}. (AU)