Wood and bark anatomy of Takhtajania (Winteraceae); Phylogenetic and ecological implications

Wood and bark anatomy of Takhtajania are newly reported on the basis of woo dy stems to 4.5 cm in diameter, a woody root 4 cm in diameter, and a smalle r stem with only a little secondary growth. The wood lacks growth rings and is vesselless. Tracheids bear biseriate or triseriate circular pits or sca lariform pits on end walls and sparse circular pits on side walls. Warts an d helical thickenings are lacking on the inner surfaces of tracheids. Axial parenchyma is very sparse. Multiseriate and uniseriate rays are about equa lly abundant, and both are composed of upright cells except for a small num ber of procumbent cells in multiseriate rays. Ethereal oil cells and sclere ids are absent in rays. Bark contains sclereid nests and ethereal oil cells . Wood features closely match those of Tasmannia or Drimys, in agreement wi th conclusions reached on the basis of molecular data. Comparative data on bark of Winteraceae other than Takhtajania are lacking. Wood features of Ta khtajania agree with those of subtropical species by lacking features found in temperate Winteraceae (growth rings,warted tracheid surfaces, helical t hickenings in tracheids).