Comparative leaf anatomy of twenty species of Chrysobalanaceae R. Br

Anatomical characters are important for the identification of species, investigation of phylogenies and understanding autoecology. This study analyzed the leaf traits of twenty species of Chrysobalanaceae occurring in Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve, Manaus, AM, Brazil. The species show scleromorphic features such as stomatal crypts, thick cuticle, and vascular bundles with extensions sheaths, indicating adaptations to the poor soil forest environment in which they occur, as well as to high light intensity and precipitation. Stomata above the epidermis line was a frequent character in Licania. Characteristics such as vascularization, midrib shape and presence of sclereids differed between species. None of the traits analyzed was exclusive to any of the genera studied. However, these traits can provide an important database for future phylogenetic studies within the family.