Comparative study of the function of myxocarpy in the Nepetoideae (Lamiaceae)
[EN] Myxospermy is a common trait among angiosperm families by which the seed surface realeases mucilage when wet. Many functions have been proposed for it in a wide range of environments, but specially in arid ones. Nepetoideae is a subfamily of Labiates where its fruits often produce mucilage (Myxocarpy). A phylogenetically informed comparative method was carried out in this subfamily to test adaptive hypothesis about myxocarpy. Its presence and reaction strength was measured in 19 species and, through an extensive bibliographic survey, data was gathered for 1048 species. Correlated and contingent evolution between myxocarpy presence and life-cycle, seed size, habitat moistness, substrate and sloping ground was tested with Pagel's model for discrete traits. 70 % of the studied species were myxocarpic. Overall correlated evolution was found for most comparisons, and evolution of myxocarpy was found to be associated with annuals, small seed size, aridity and also slightly with sloping grounds. High mountain environments and dispersal syndromes were also suggested to be important. It is concluded that myxocarpy has multiple functions in this
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | tesina biblioteca |
| Published: |
Universidad Politécnica de Valencia
2014-09-18
|
| Subjects: | Comparative, Lamiaceae, Mucilage, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/141265 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|