Systematic wood anatomy of Huberia, Miconia and Tibouchina (Melastomataceae)

Abstract

The wood anatomy of Huberia consimilis, Miconia amoena, M. mirabilis, M. rimalis and Tibouchina francavillana (Melastomataceae) is described and compared with other species from the same genera. All taxa share vestured pits, absent or inconspicuous growth rings, septate fibres, parenchyma-like tangential bands, and fibres shorter than 900 μm which is characteristic of the family Melastomataceae. Each species exhibited a set of wood anatomical characteristics that enabled its identification. Some traits were more relevant in distinguishing genera, such as composition of parenchyma-like tangential bands, vessel-ray pits, ray width, rays per millimetre and fibre length. Parenchyma-like tangential bands are described in great detail, and we propose a more specific nomenclature for their anatomical classification.