- Podocarpaceae
Taxobox
name = Podocarpaceae
image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Podocarpus macrophyllus" foliage and mature seed cones
regnum =Plantae
divisio =Pinophyta
classis = Pinopsida
ordo =Pinales
familia = Podocarpaceae
familia_authority = Endl.
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = "Acmopyle "
"Afrocarpus "
"Dacrycarpus "
"Dacrydium "
"Falcatifolium "
"Halocarpus "
"Lagarostrobos "
"Lepidothamnus "
"Manoao "
"Microcachrys "
"Microstrobos "
"Nageia "
"Parasitaxus "
"Phyllocladus "
"Podocarpus "
"Prumnopitys "
"Retrophyllum "
"Saxegothaea "
"Sundacarpus "Podocarpaceae is a large family of mainly
Southern Hemisphere conifer s, with 18-19 genera and about 170-200 species ofevergreen tree s andshrub s. The family is a classic member of theAntarctic flora , with its main centres of diversity in Australasia, particularlyNew Caledonia ,Tasmania andNew Zealand , and to a slightly lesser extentMalesia andSouth America (primarily in theAndes mountains). Several genera extend north of theequator intoIndo-China and thePhilippines . "Podocarpus " reaches as far north as southernJapan and southernChina inAsia andMexico inthe Americas , and "Nageia " into southernChina and southernIndia . Two genera also occur in sub-SaharanAfrica , the widespread "Podocarpus" and the endemic "Afrocarpus "."Parasitaxus usta" is unique as the only known parasitic conifer. It occurs on
New Caledonia , where it is parasitic on another member of the Podocarpaceae, "Falcatifolium taxoides".The genus "
Phyllocladus ", here included in Podocarpaceae on genetic evidence, is treated by some botanists in its own family "Phyllocladaceae".Taxonomy
The Podocarpaceae family shows great diversity, both morphologically and ecologically. Its members occur mainly in the southern hemisphere, with most generic variety taking place in
New Caledonia ,New Zealand andTasmania . Species diversity of Podocarpus is found mainly inSouth America and theIndonesia n islands, the latter also being rich in "Dacrydium" and "Dacrycarpus" species."Podocarpus" L’Hér. ex Pers. (with 107 species) and "Dacrydium" Sol. ex Forst. are the largest genera. A few genera are common to
New Zealand andSouth America , supporting the view that the Podocarps had an extensive distribution over southernGondwanaland . The breaking up of Gondwanaland led to large-scale speciation of the "Podocarpaceae".Until 1970 only seven "Podocarpaceae" genera were recognised - "Podocarpus", "Dacrydium", "Phyllocladus", "Acmopyle", "Microcachrys", "Saxegothaea" and "Pherosphaera". All the African taxa fell under "Podocarpus" - "P. falcatus", "P. elongatus", "P. henkelii" and "P. latifolius". Taxonomists divided "Podocarpus" species into eight categories based on leaf anatomy (Afrocarpus J. Buchholz & N. E. Gray, Dacrycarpus Endl., Eupodocarpus Endl., Microcarpus Pilg., Nageia (Gaertn.) Endl., Polypodiopsis C.E. Bertrand (non Polypodiopsis Carriére nom. rej. prop.6), Stachycarpus Endl. and Sundacarpus J. Buchholz & N.E. Gray). Studies of embryology, gametophyte development, female cone structure and cytology, led to the belief that the eight categories probably deserved generic status. Researchers agreed on the need to recognize ‘fairly natural groupings which prove to have good geographic and probably evolutionary cohesion’ and took the necessary steps to raise each section to generic status.Barker, N.P., Muller, E.M., and Mill, R.R. (2004). [http://eprints.ru.ac.za/126/01/sajsci_v100_n11_a26%5B1%5D.pdf A yellowwood by any other name: molecular systematics and the taxonomy of "Podocarpus" and the Podocarpaceae in southern Africa] . "South African Journal of Science", 100: 629-632.]
References
*Quinn, C. J. & Price, R. A. Phylogeny of the Southern Hemisphere Conifers. "Proc. Fourth International Conifer Conference" 129-136 (2003).
External links
* [http://www.conifers.org/po/index.htm Gymnosperm Database - Podocarpaceae]
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