Wood Anatomy and Relationships of Duckeodendraceae and Goetzeaceae

Abstract

Duckeodendron has been referred to Solanaceae, Boraginaceae, and Apocynaceae; segregation into its own family is based on its drupoid fruits. Drupoid fruits also characterise Goetzeaceae, which have been placed within Sapotaceae and within Solanaceae by particular authors. Both Duckeodendraceae and Goetzeaceae have intraxylary phloem (a characteristic of Solanaceae but absent from most dicotyledon families) and wood features entirely congruent with the concept that they are elosely related to Solanaceae. Wood of Duckeodendron is very sirnilar to that of Nothocestrum (Solanaceae). Wood of Goetzeaceae is most like wood of the solanaceous genera Grabowskya and Lycium. Duckeodendraceae and Goetzeaceae may be regarded as satellite farnilies of Solanaceae, in accord with the treatment of Hunziker (1979), or could conceivably be treated as subfarnilies of Solanaceae. Qualitative and quantitative features are given for wood of Duckeodendron cestroides (Duckeodendraceae) and two speeies of Goetzeaceae: Espadaea amoena and Henoonia myrtifolia. Wood of Duckeodendron is elearly mesomorphic. Wood of Espadaea is intermediate, and wood of Henoonia is relatively xeromorphic as based on vessel element dimensions, vessel density, and vasicentric tracheid presence.