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DISTRIBUTION OF THE C 4 DICARBOXYLIC ACID PATHWAY OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN LOCAL MONOCOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS AND ITS TAXONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE
Author(s) -
RAGHAVENDRA A. S.,
DAS V. S. R.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1976.tb01465.x
Subject(s) - cyperaceae , biology , botany , photosynthesis , poaceae , chloroplast , tribe , c4 photosynthesis , eragrostis , genus , sociology , anthropology , gene , biochemistry
SUMMARY The photosynthetic characteristics of fifty‐six monocotyledonous plants belonging to seventeen families were examined. As many as twenty‐three plants, hitherto unreported, showed C 4 pathway characteristics. C 4 species were recorded in ten new genera. The C 4 plants were confined to the families, Cyperaceae and Gramineae. The findings confirm the highly evolved nature of the tribes Andropogoneae and Paniceae in contrast to the primitive features of Agrosteae and Festuceae. On the basis of photosynthetic characteristics, it is suggested that Aristida should be included in a separate tribe, Aristideae, whereas Eragrostis resembles more panicoid grasses rather than the members of Festuceae. The importance of the C 4 syndrome in relation to the evolution of grasses is stressed.