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Taxonomic treatments of Camellia (Theaceae) species with secretory structures based on integrated leaf characters

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Abstract

Multivariate analysis of leaf shape, anatomy, and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) data of 27 Camellia species with secretory structures (sects. Archecamellia, Stereocarpus, Furfuracea, Chrysantha), together with three species from related genera, Gordonia and Tutcheria (Theacea), was conducted to clarify some taxonomic problems. Our results show that crystals occurring in adaxial epidermal cells are firstly observed in Chrysantha species, and the secretory structures described are in fact cork warts. Furthermore, we introduce a form coefficient (F c) to assess the shape of epidermal cells, since they are usually irregular and difficult to describe. Pearson correlation analysis indicates that F c is useful to assess epidermal cell shape. Principal component analysis (PCA) of leaf shape indicates that two species from section Archecamellia and two species from section Stereocarpus are significantly different from those in section Furfuracea. Cluster analysis of FTIR data visualizes the degree of affinity among the 30 species examined here, which is consistent with the cluster analysis (CA) of anatomical data, as illustrated in the dendrogram. Therefore, our study indicates that integrated leaf characters based on leaf shape, anatomy, and FTIR data are useful in the taxonomic treatment of Camellia species with secretory structures. Taxonomic controversies among the Camellia species with secretory structures could thus be successfully addressed using only a few intact or small portions of leaves. Moreover, our results tend to support that Chrysantha species should not be merged into section Archecamellia, and that section Heterogenea should not be recognized in taxonomic treatments of Camellia species with secretory structures.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the Institute of Physical Chemistry of Zhejiang Normal University for use of the Nicolet FTIR spectrometer. We are grateful to Prof. Cun-Gui Cheng and Ms. Dan-Ting Li for help with FTIR spectrometer operation and FTIR data analysis. This study was supported by grants from the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (No. BK2006045) and Open the Foundation of the Botany Key Discipline of Changshu Institute of Technology (No. 2008003).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Chemistry and Life Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, 321004, China

    B. Jiang, Q. F. Peng, E. X. Pi & H. F. Lu

  2. College of Biology and Food Engineering, Changshu Institute of Technology, Changshu, 215500, China

    B. Jiang & Z. G. Shen

  3. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH35LR, Scotland, UK

    M. Möller

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  1. B. Jiang
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  2. Q. F. Peng
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  3. Z. G. Shen
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  4. M. Möller
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  5. E. X. Pi
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  6. H. F. Lu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. F. Lu.

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B. Jiang and Q. F. Peng contributed equally to this work.

Appendix 1

Appendix 1

Collection localities and vouchers of studied specimens

GenusCamelliaLinn. SectionArchecamelliaSealy. C. granthamiana Sealy, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.B. Dai 200610190201,02,03 (ZJNU); C. albogigas Hu, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.B. Dai 200610190101,02,03 (ZJNU); Section stereocarpus (Pierre) Sealy. C. liberistyla H.T. Chang, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, Q.F. Peng 200612100301,02,03 (ZJNU); C. yunnanensis (Pitard) Coh. St., Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, Q.F. Peng 200612100401,02,03 (ZJNU); SectionFurfuraceaChang. C. pubifurfuracea Zhong, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.E. Tian 200610170901,02,03 (ZJNU); C. latipetiolata Chi, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.E. Tian 200610171001,02,03 (ZJNU); C. crapnelliana Tutch., Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.E. Tian 200610171101,02,03 (ZJNU); C. multibracteata H.T. Chang et Mo ex Mo, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.E. Tian 200610171201,02,03 (ZJNU); C. furfuracea (Merr.) Coh. St., Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.E. Tian 200610171301,02,03 (ZJNU); C. oblata H.T. Chang, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, Q.F. Peng 200610221401,02,03 (ZJNU); C. gaudichaudii (Gagn.) Sealy, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.E. Tian 200610171501,02,03 (ZJNU); C. gigantocarpa Sealy, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, Q.F. Peng 200610221601,02,03 (ZJNU); C. octopetala Hu, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, Q.F. Peng 200610221701,02,03 (ZJNU); C. parafurfuracea S. Y. Liang ex H.T. Chang, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.E. Tian 200610171801,02,03 (ZJNU); C. connatistyla Mo et Zhong, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.E. Tian 200610171901,02,03 (ZJNU); SectionChrysanthaH.T. Chang. C. euphlebia Merr. ex Sealy, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.B. Dai 2006031212301,02,03 (ZJNU); C. limonia C. F. Liang et Mo, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.B. Dai 2006031219401,02,03 (ZJNU); C. achrysantha H.T. Chang et S.Y. Liang, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, X.F. Wu 2006031612401,02,03 (ZJNU); C. impressinervis H.T. Chang et S.Y. Liang, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.B. Dai 2006031212501,02,03 (ZJNU); C. grandis (Liang et Mo) H.T. Chang et S.Y. Liang, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, X.F. Wu 2006031612601,02,03 (ZJNU); C. parvipetala J.Y. Liang et Su, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.B. Dai 2006031212801,02,03 (ZJNU); C. pingguoensis Fang, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, H.B. Dai 2006031219301,02,03 (ZJNU); C. lunzhouensis Luo, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, X.F. Wu 2006031612901,02,03 (ZJNU); C. huana Ming et W.J. Zhang, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, X.F. Wu 2006031613001,02,03 (ZJNU); C. liberofilamenta H.T. Chang et C.H. Yang, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, X.F. Wu 2006031613101,02,03 (ZJNU); C. fusuiensis S.Y. Liang et X.J. Dong, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, Q.F. Peng 2006011413601,02,03 (ZJNU); C. multipetala S.Y. Liang et C.Z. Deng, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, Q.F. Peng 2006011413701,02,03 (ZJNU); Genus Gordonia Ellis.G. acuminata H.T. Chang, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, Q.F. Peng 2006111219701,02,03 (ZJNU); G. longicarpa H.T. Chang, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, Q.F. Peng 2006111219801,02,03 (ZJNU); GenusTutcheria Dunn. T. hexalocularia Hu et Liang ex H.T. Chang, Jinhua International Camellia Species Garden, Zhejiang Province, China, Q.F. Peng 2006111220101,02,03 (ZJNU).

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Jiang, B., Peng, Q.F., Shen, Z.G. et al. Taxonomic treatments of Camellia (Theaceae) species with secretory structures based on integrated leaf characters. Plant Syst Evol 290, 1–20 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-010-0342-x

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