Cuticle morphology of Australasian Sapindaceae

Abstract

Sapindaceae is one of the most important plant families in the warmer and, particularly, drier Australasian rainforests, but there are also representatives in more arid regions. The leaf cuticles of a representative selection of Australasian species of Sapindaceae are illustrated with transmitted light and scanning electron microscopy. The family exhibits a diverse range of characters, with no one feature being diagnostic. Four basic stomatal types can be recognized, but these grade between each other. Trichomes, glands and papillae are often present. A brief description of the epidermis of all genera in Australasia is given, and character combinations are discussed which may allow the identification of these in the fossil record. A rich cuticular fossil record in the early Miocene of New Zealand includes Alectryon and members of the tribe Cupanieae. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 164, 264-292.