This purchase only includes chapter 11 of this title.
The presence or absence of tepal apex trichomes (TAT), was recorded for approximately 280 species of Asparagales including representatives of all families and subfamilies of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group III classification. Nearly all subfamilies (or families that lack subfamilies) are consistent for either TAT presence or absence, although subfamilies within a family are not always consistent with each other. The most notable example of variation below the subfamily level is Asparagaceae subfamily Lomandroideae, but the variation is consistent with lower level relationships in this subfamily. The distribution of TAT presence across a phylogenetic tree suggests more than one origin of the feature. TAT are a mechanism for holding buds closed before anthesis and are relatively conspicuous.This neglected feature has potential utility as a morphological synapomorphy for higher level taxa and as a key character. Future directions for extending this preliminary survey are suggested.
