COMPARATIVE LEAF STRUCTURE OF AQUATIC POLYGONUM SPECIES

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Abstract
A systematic study of leaf morphology and anatomy of native, aquatic Polygonum, species is presented, treating 60 populations propagated in a common greenhouse. On the basis of this study it is now possible to distinguish American Polygonum species by leaf characters alone. Taxa in section Persicaria are contrasted and also compared with representatives of sections Bistorta and Echinocaulon. A complete description, utilizing 40 leaf characters, is given for each taxon. Complex glands, designated valvate chambers, are shown to be a consistent feature of the P. punctatum species‐complex, whereas epidermal storage‐idioblasts are present only in certain populations of this group. All other species lack valvate chambers but possess idioblasts, which may reach a frequency of over 400/mm2 in'P. hirsutum. The plate‐like multicellular gland of P. opelousanum is found to occur sporadically in P. hydropiperoides, thereby losing its specific diagnostic value. Illucidation of the characteristic structure of this gland, however, lends evidence to discourage the theory that it is an abortive structure produced by a hybrid between glandular and non‐glandular species. Reticulate venation and unicellular trichomes separate members of section Bistorta from the smartweeds, but P. meisnerianum (section Echinocaulon) is shown to simulate leaf structure of the persicarias both internally and externally.
Funding Information
  • U.S. Department of the Interior (A‐028‐VA (373204‐5))

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