Morphological variation and a cladistic analysis of the large, endemic Southern African genus
Lachenalia Jacq.f. ex Murray (Hyacinthaceae: Massonieae) is presented. Its close taxonomic
relationship with the small endemic sympatric genus Polyxena Kunth (which has been included in the morphological and cladistic study) is discussed. The inclusion of Polyxena
within Lachenalia is supported. One hundred and twenty species (139 taxa), comprising 115
Lachenalia and five Polyxena species are recognised. A wide range of morphological characters were analysed, including macromorphology,
micromorphology, anatomy and palynology. A discussion and comparison of karyological data is also presented.
A brief historical background, species diversity maps, figures, tables, appendices and illustrations of anatomical, micromorphological and macromorphological characters, and
cladistic data, are presented, as well as discussions of pollination biology and phytogeography.
This work is based on species studied in their natural habitats as well as under cultivation,
and from representative herbarium specimens examined from BOL, NBG, PRE and SAM. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2005.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/6031 |
Date | January 2005 |
Creators | Duncan, Graham D. |
Contributors | Edwards, Trevor J. |
Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
Language | en_ZA |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Thesis |
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