メギ科の実生の形態について  [in Japanese] Seedling morphology of the Berberidaceae  [in Japanese]

The seedlings of the Berberidaceae were examined with special reference to the cotyledonary morphology. Excepting for Jeffersonia and Caulophyllum, seedlings of this family have epigeal cotyledons. Cotyledons are articulated into three parts, laminar part, petiolate part and basal tubulate part. Petiolate parts and tubulate parts are usually much shorter than laminar parts. In Ranzania, laminar parts and petiolate parts are nearly equal in length, and tubulate parts are much longer than laminar parts in Diphylleia and Podophyllum. In Leontice, Gymnospermium and Bongardia, solid bar parts, which are considered to be homologous to the tubulate parts, are recognized. In case where cotyledons have very long tubulate parts or solid bar parts, plumules are situated deeply under ground. The stele in the primary root and hypocotyle is usually diarch, but rarely triarch in Nandina, Berberis and Mahonia. In Caulophyllum, the stele is constantly tetrarch. Based mainly on the cotyledonary morphology and vasculature in the seedling, it is possible to recognize 7 groups of genera; Nandina, Berberis-Mahonia, Ranzania, Epimedium-Vancouveria-Plagiorhegma-Jeffersonia-Achlys, Caulophyllum, Leontice-Gymnospermium-Bongardia, Diphylleia-Podophyllum. This grouping is in accordance with classification system based on the floral morphology and other characteristics. The only discordance is the relationship of Caulophyllum. this genus is distinctive in the subtribe Leonticinae in the seedling morphology, while it is closely related to Leontice and Gymnospermium in floral anatomy and seed coat anatomy.