Comparative Anatomy and Systematics of Orchidaceae

兰科的比较解剖学和系统学

• 批准号: 9006474
• 负责人: William Stern
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Florida
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing grant
• 财政年份: 1990
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1990-07-15 至 1994-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9006474&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Comparative; Anatomy; Systematics; Orchidaceae

Orchids constitute the largest family of monocots, with an estimated 20,000 species arranged in ca. 700 genera. Growing worldwide, most commonly in the tropics, they are renowned for the color and variety of their flowers and the intricacy of their pollinating mechanisms with insects and birds. Less well appreciated is the diversity of vegetative structures among orchids (roots, stems, and leaves), making possible their growth in a wide range of habitats, often quite specialized, including epiphytes upon other woody plants, subterranean forms, bulbs, vines, and shrubs. Dr. William Stern of the University of Florida is surveying the vegetative diversity of orchids to compile the first encyclopedic account of root, stem, and leaf anatomy of representatives of all 700 genera of the world's orchids. Working with colleagues in Florida and at the Kew Botanic Gardens in England, Dr. Stern will have access to living and preserved materials of all recognized orchid genera. Microscopic examination of slide preparations will allow standard comparisons across all the genera. In turn, comparative study will facilitate an evaluation of the range of environmental modifications found in orchid structures, and allow discrimination between homologous structures (those with a common genetic and developmental basis) from analogous structures (those that look similar in mature form but develop along different pathways). This first comprehensive survey of orchid vegetative anatomy will enhance further systematic, ecological, and morphological study of these fascinating plants.

兰花是单子叶植物中最大的一科，约有700属20,000种植物。它们生长在世界各地，最常见的是热带地区，以其花朵的颜色和多样性以及它们与昆虫和鸟类的授粉机制的复杂性而闻名。兰花(根、茎和叶)中营养结构的多样性较少被认识，这使得它们有可能在广泛的生境中生长，通常相当专门化，包括其他木本植物、地下形式、球茎、藤本植物和灌木上的附生植物。佛罗里达大学的威廉·斯特恩博士正在调查兰花的营养多样性，以汇编世界上所有700个兰花属的代表的根、茎和叶的百科全书。斯特恩博士将与佛罗里达州和英国邱植物园的同事们合作，获得所有已知兰花属的活的和保存的材料。玻片制剂的显微镜检查将允许对所有属进行标准比较。反过来，比较研究将有助于评估在兰花结构中发现的环境变化的范围，并允许区分同源结构(具有共同的遗传和发育基础的结构)和类似结构(成熟时看起来相似但沿着不同路径发展的结构)。这次兰花营养解剖的首次全面调查将进一步加强对这些迷人植物的系统、生态和形态的研究。