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A Synopsis of the Genus Columellia (Columelliaceae)

1961; Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University; Volume: 42; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.5962/p.324677

2474-3283

George K. Brizicky,

Botanical Research and Chemistry

The genus Columellia was founded by Ruiz and Pavon in 1794.Since 1801, when Ruiz referred the genus to Oleaceae (Jasmineae), the relationships of this Andean South American group of three or four woody species have been a perplexing problem for several generations of taxonomists.With its peculiar combination of opposite, exstipulate leaves; bisexual, epigynous flowers; somewhat irregular, sympetalous corollas; two stamens with plicate and contorted anthers resembling those of some Cucurbitaceae; two-carpellate, imperfectly two-locular ovaries; and imperfectly four-locular capsular fruits, Columellia is indeed a unique genus.It has been considered to be related to or has been placed in a whole series of families, including the Saxifragaceae, Lythraceae, Onagraceae, Ericaceae-Vaccinioideae, Ebenaceae, Styracaceae, Oleaceae, Gentianaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Gesneriaceae, Loganiaceae, Rubiaceae, and Caprifoliaceae.Although most recent taxonomists (following De Candolle, 1839) treat Columellia as a monogeneric family placed near Gesneriaceae, Wettstein (1935) stressed the uncertainty of its position.On the other hand, Solereder ( 1899), taking into consideration the anatomy of the genus, thought Collumelliaceae to be closely allied to Saxifragaceae, rather than to Gesneriaceae.It is evident that gross morphology alone is inconclusive in solving this problem and that more attention must be paid to the anatomical, as well as embryological and cytological, characters of the taxa involved.In consideration of this, a comparative anatomical and taxonomic study has been undertaken by Dr. William L. Stern, Division of Woods, U. S. National Museum, Smithsonian Institution, and the author in the hope of shedding more light on the problem of the systematic