The phylogeny of the Papaveraceae sensu lato: morphological, geographical and ecological implications

Abstract

On the background of the phylogeny of the Papaveraceae s.l., the evolution of the androecium and gynoecium, the geographical distribution, and the ecological differentiation of the family is discussed. An effort is made to homologize the diverse androecia of Pteridophyllum, Hypecoum, Fumariaceae and Papaveraceae s.str., and it is concluded that both the polyandrous androecium as found in the Papaveraceae s.str. and the polycarpellate gynoecium as found in Papaveraceae s. str. subfam. Papaveroideae incl. Platystemonoideae are secondary and derived from whorled oligomerous androecia and bicarpellate gynoecia, respectively. The comparative consideration of the geographical distribution, ecology and diversity of various monophyletic units within the family suggests (1) that forest floor habitats might be ancestral in the family, (2) that in parts of the family generic diversification preceded the break-up of the northern continents, and (3) that aridification of the environment was a major stimulus for both diversification and morphological divergence in the family.