THE MORPHOLOGICAL NATURE OF THE OPEN DICHOTOMOUS LEAF VENATION OF KINGDONIA AND CIRCAEASTER AND ITS SYSTEMATIC IMPLICATION

After the further studies on the open dichotomous leaf venation of Kin gdonia and Circaeaster, we considered that the venation of these gener a is incomparable to that of some gymnosperms such as Ginkgoaceae, and is a degenerated characteristic in the morphological nature. We also considered that this characteristic is very important on determining t he systematic relationship between these genera and other members of R anunculales (sensu 'Takhtajan 1980), but its implication in the phylog eny of angiosperms was overemphasized.