Stem Anatomy of Vaccinium Section Cyanococcus and Related Taxa
Odell AE, Vander Kloet SP, Newell RE. 1989. Stem Anatomy of Vaccinium Section Cyanococcus and Related Taxa. Canadian Journal of Botany. 67(8):2328-2334
ABSTRACT: Twenty-nine Vaccinium species were scored for 14 stem and twig characters to determine whether or not vegetative features would support current taxonomic delimitations within the genus. The data obtained show not only that the verrucose characteristic of the twigs, one of the character states that defines Vaccinium section Cyanococcus, is caused by the presence of raised stomata, but also that members of this section have a peculiar mode of periderm development. In addition to the type of periderm development, the occurrence of lignification in twigs and stems was also noted, but was found not to be taxonomically useful at the sectional rank.