Wood and Bark Anatomy of Lauraceae III. Aspidostemon Rohwer ' Richter

Abstract

A group of Madagascan species hitherto ascribed to the genus Cryptocarya is segregated on account of its widely differing morphology and anatomy of wood and bark. The new genus, Aspidostemon Rohwer ' Richter, constitutes a small and very homogeneous taxon, and its wood and bark characteristics are described in detail. Aspidostemon contrasts Cryptocarya proper in nearly all qualitative and quantitative features to a high degree. This does not only justify its segregation from, but also precludes any close relationship with Cryptocarya . In order to properly accommodate Aspidostemon in the framework of lauraceous taxonomy, additional evidence from other botanical disciplines is required.