Abstract
Blinkworthia, a tropical Asian genus of Convolvulaceae, was first characterized as an erect shrub with solitary flowers, three involucral bracts, and indehiscent, one-seeded berries. These three characters are diagnostic traits long used to distinguish Blinkworthia from other genera in the family. Blinkworthia lycioides was selected as a representative species for investigation of both morphology and ontogeny of the reproductive parts, while B. convolvuloides was only investigated morphologically. Nine stages based upon floral and fruit sizes were collected and prepared by the paraffin method for the developmental study. Examination of the developmental anatomy proved that some of the morphological characters have been misunderstood. In fact, none of the generic characters historically used to define the genus Blinkworthia are unique: the same character states are present in some species of Argyreia. This highlights that on morphological grounds it is not tenable to maintain Blinkworthia distinct from Argyreia. Pending the results from our ongoing molecular study of the genera in tribe Ipomoeeae a firm decision can be taken regarding the generic circumscription.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Wattana Tanming, the Royal Huai Sai Development Study Center, and the Kochi Prefectural Makino Botanical Garden’s Myanmar Flora Project team for allowing PR to join their collecting expedition in May–June 2016. We are grateful to the anonymous referees for valuable comments to improve our manuscript. PR would like to thank the Science Achievement Scholarship of Thailand (SAST) for financial support during his study. PT wishes to acknowledge the Thailand Research Fund (TRF-RSA5880022), and the Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, for supporting this research. GS gratefully acknowledges funding support from Faculty of Graduate Studies, Mahidol University, for travel to Bangkok which facilitated our collaboration and writing this paper.
Funding
This study was funded by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF). PR received a scholarship from the Science Achievement Scholarship of Thailand (SAST). GS received travel support from the Faculty of Graduate Studies, Mahidol University.
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Rattanakrajang, P., Traiperm, P. & Staples, G.W. Re-evaluation of generic characters for Blinkworthia (Convolvulaceae) based on morphology and reproductive organ development. Plant Syst Evol 304, 415–429 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-017-1485-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-017-1485-9