Acta Botanica 34. (1988)
1988 / 3-4. szám - BORHIDI ATTILA - GONDÁR ERZSÉBET - OROSZNÉ KOVÁCS ZSUZSANNA: The re-consideration of the genus Cordia L.
BORHIDI et al. 376 FRIESEN (1933) went much farther in splitting Cordia and divided it into 10 genera: Муха Friesen, Collococcus P. Browne, Sebestena Dillen. Calyptracordia Britt, et Wils., Varronia P. Browne em. Friesen, Varroniopsis Friesen, Mont.jolya Friesen, Ulmarriona Friesen, Gerascanthus P. Browne, and Cordiopsis Desv. em. A. DC. In his cited work FRIESEN has elaborated only one of the ten genera, Varronia, in details. In opposition to the "ultrarevolutionary" concept of FRIESEN, I.M. JOHNSTON occupied an extremely traditional standpoint by maintaining Cordia as a undividable unit, distinguishing only five sections within the framework of this pantropical genus: Sebestena, Varronia, Gerascanthus, Pilicordia and Муха. Just some years later than the last paper of JOHNSTON had appeared (1958) on Cordia, NOWICKE and RIDGWAV (1973) started to study the pollen morphology existing in the Boraginaceae family, including Cordia as well. Ihey established that in the genus Cordia s.l. three different pollen types can be found (1973). MONCADA у HERRERA (1987) studied the pollen grains of 23 Cordia species of the Cuban flora, and they found four morphological types of the pollen grains. Iheir lype I included some species belonging to the section Sebestena, the lype II included a number of species of the section Varronia, the lype III turned to be common among the species of the sections Gerascanthus and Муха, and the lype IV was found exclusively in one species: Cordia alba, representing the monotypic genus Calyptracordia Britt.et Wils. MAIERIAL AND METHODS Field experiences acquired by the first author both in the West Indien and East Africa inspired us to approach the problem from a new direction on a wider geographic and methodological base. Species originated from the Antilles and South America, and a number of African and Asian including some Oceanian taxa have been involved into the study. Besides SEM- micrographs of the pollen grains, floral anatomy with special attention to the opening of calyx, morphology of calyx lobes and to some floral biological features has been studied. More than 170 species were studied, originated partly from own recent collections and types or/and authentic specimens studied in the herbaria B, BP, K, and S. Type materials of the following species were studied: Cordia anderssonii Guerke Cordia axillaris Johnston Cordia badaeva Urb. et Ekm. Cordia baracoensis Urb. Cordia braceliniae Johnst.