Wood data from wider stem, root, and root-stem transition of a mature plant
of Anredera baselloides are analyzed for quantitative and qualitative feat
ures. Distinctive characters of A. baselloides include presence of successi
ve cambia in wider stem, root, and root-stem transition; other types of cam
bial variants are newly reported for the family. Systematic distribution of
successive cambia in Caryophyllales does not parallel cladistic schemes fo
r the order, and possible reasons are advanced. Wood features other than su
ccessive cambia are compatible with relationship to the other families of P
ortulacinae (Cactaceae, Didiereaceae, Hectorellacaeae, Portulacaeae) except
for features related to habit, particularly the scandent habit. These feat
ures (mostly newly reported for Basellaceae) include restriction of vessels
to central portions of fascicular areas (vessels thereby likely protected
from torsion); some vessels wide but many narrow; all ray cells and ray-adj
acent axial parenchyma with thin walls; (interxylary) phloem strands in ray
-adjacent axial parenchyma (with cambia that augment the phloem strands); a
nd intraxylary phloem. Tubers contain pith phloem strands adjacent to which
cambia produce secondary xylem and phloem. Druses and mucilage cells in co
rtex and rays and storying in axial xylem cells are newly reported for Base
llaceae.