Department of Biology

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Browsing Department of Biology by Subject "A Revisi.o n of the Genus Plectocephalus"

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    A Revision of the Genus Plectocephalus in Ethiopia .
    (Addis Ababa,University, 1991-06) Lyaruu, H.V.M.
    A systematic study of Plectocephalus varians (A.Rich.) C.Jeffrey ex Cuf. was conducted with an objective of obtaining data that will contribute to rts relation with other members of the genus and to the related genus Centaurea L. Special emphasis was given to characters of generic value. Representative specimens of the fonowing taxa from Latin America were studied: Plectocephalus amerjcanus Nuttal, P. chilensis Hook & Arnott, Centaurea floccosa Hook & Arnott, C. bulbosa Hook & Arnott, C. atacamensis (Reiche) Johnston, C. tweediei Hook & Arnott, C. rothrockii Greenm. and C. cachlnalensis Phil. A~hough widely distributed in Ethiopia, the different populations of P. varians are found to constitute a single taxonomic species hence authenticating the previously established synonymy by Jeffrey (1968). P. varians is also found to be strikingly different from any known taxon of Centaurea in Ethiopia.Based on data from morphology, anatomy and palynology, two ecologically differentiated populations of P. varians are recognized: grassland and forest populations. The grassland populations differ from forest populations in the degree of the presence of indumentum. They tend to have a higher degree of hairiness compared to forest populations. A high or low amount of hair reflects . xeromorphic or mesic conditions. respectively. Forest populations tend to have dark-green broad and large leaves with prominent brochidodromous venation, whereas grassland populations have small shiny, light green leaves with inconspicuous venation. In the forest populations studied, stem anatomy revealed presence of a, hollow pith, but in the grassland populations, the prth is filled wrth parenchymatous cells. The significance of this is associated with either xeromorphic or mesic conditions. In grassland populations, the ray florets are entirely purple, but forest populations tend to have yellow or mauve ligulate flowers. The significance of this is not clear.