XVI International Botanical Congess

Wood anatomy has been examined of most genera in the basal Papilionoid legumes (Swartzieae, Sophoreae) and tribes Dipterygeae, Dalbergieae and Millettieae. These comparative data are assessed in the context of other phylogenetic studies based on molecular, morphological and pollen characters, which show that some tribes are polyphyletic. The survey has been extended to Caesalpinioid legumes in Detarieae (Crudia group), where some generic rearrangement is planned. Significant wood characters in the Papilionoid tribes include axial parenchyma patterns, degree of ray and axial parenchyma storeying, vessel size, intervessel pit size and occasionally presence of included phloem. In Crudia group, storeying is absent, but axial canals are an additional feature in some genera. Some wood characters are related to habit (e.g. tree vs. liana) or habitat.