MONOCOTS: AQUATICS AND AROIDS

Lecture Schedule

Lecture

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Survey of the Monocots — the aquatics and aroids - see APGII phylogeny

      Order Alismatales - the aquatics and aroids

Apocarpic
Aquatic - brackish - marine
evolution of water polliantion and reduction of flowers

Butomaceae (flowering rush family)

Butomus umbellatus (flowering rush)

Alismataceae (water plantain or arrowhead family)

Primitive characteristics
Alisma plantago-aquatica (water plantain)
Sagittaria spp. (arrow head, swamp potato)

Hydrocharitaceae (waterweed family)

Elodea (=Anacharis) (waterweed)
Vallisneria americana (tapegrass)
Stratiotes (water soldier)

Potamogetonaceae (pondweed family)

4 (or 0) perianth parts
4 stamens on or at the perianth parts
4 apocarpic, 1 ovuled carpels

Potamogeton spp. (pondweed)

Juncaginaceae (arrow grass family)

Triglochin spp. (arrow grass)

Aponogetonaceae (water hawthorn family)

Old world family for aquarium plants
Aponogeton

Limnocharitaceae (water hawthorn family)

Hydrocleys nymphoides (water poppy)

Evolution of sea grasses

multiple origins of hydrophily
correlation of hydrophily and marine habitat
multiple origins of marine habit

Araceae ("aroids", philodendron, jack-in-the-pulpit family)

Distinct habitat
Calcium oxalate crystals
Spadix and spathe
No perianth
6 stamens
2 or 3 united carpels

Arisaema triphyllum [including A. atrorubens] (jack-in-the-pulpit)
A. dracontium (green dragon)
Calla palustris (water arum)
Symplocarpus foetidus (skunk cabbage)
Anthurium, Monstera, Philodendron, Dieffenbachia
Amorphophallus (titan arum)

(Lemnaceae - duckweed family - placed in Araceae)

Reduction from within Araceae
Aquatic reversion
Spirodela polyrhiza (great duckweed)
Lemna minor (small duckweed)
Wolffiella
Wolffia columbiana (water meal)

Pistia (Araceae) missing link between duckweeds and aroids?

 

Order Acorales - the basal monocot

molecular and morphological evidence - see APGII phylogeny

Acoraceae (sweet flag family) [previously placed in Araceae]

Acorus calamus (sweet flag)