Morphological and Anatomical Characterization of Stems in <i>Lilium</i> Taxa
<i>Lilium</i> holds significant horticultural and ecological importance. Understanding the morpho-anatomical diversity of the stems can provide insights into taxonomy and breeding strategies. This study comprehensively examined the stem morpho-anatomy of 71 <i>Lilium</i> taxa...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Horticulturae |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/11/5/546 |
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| Summary: | <i>Lilium</i> holds significant horticultural and ecological importance. Understanding the morpho-anatomical diversity of the stems can provide insights into taxonomy and breeding strategies. This study comprehensively examined the stem morpho-anatomy of 71 <i>Lilium</i> taxa to elucidate taxonomic and structural differences. For the first time, four distinct jigsaw-puzzle-shaped shapes of epidermal cells (Ep) in monocot stems, novel I-shaped and Co-xylem (O-, X-, W-, Q-shaped) vascular bundles (Vb) in <i>Lilium</i> stems, and quantitative characteristics (Vb density, xylem/phloem area ratio, etc.) were systematically discovered and analyzed. Asiatic (A) and Longiflorum × A (LA) hybrids displayed epidermal appendages, while Oritenal × Trumpet (OT) hybrids featured thicker sclerenchymatous rings (Sr). Collateral Vb in hybrids visually displayed bicollateral with degraded bundle sheaths (Bs), contrasting with intact circular Bs in wild species. Ward.D clustering categorized <i>Lilium</i> taxa into group A (Oritenal and OT hybrids) and B (A, LA, Trumpet, Longiflorum × Oriental hybrids and wild species), with Mantel’s test identified height, Ep shape, Ep length/width ratio, cortex/Sr thickness ratio and Bs integrity as key discriminators. Bending stems exhibited a higher Vb area. These findings establish a comprehensive pheno-anatomical framework for <i>Lilium</i>, which can guide future breeding programs and ecological studies. |
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| ISSN: | 2311-7524 |