3001 Maianthemum F.H. Wigg.
- F.H. Wigg., Prim. Fl. Holsat.: 14 (1780) nom. cons..
- Smilacina Desf., Ann. Mus. Natl. Hist. Nat. 9: 51 (1807).
Notes: Elven: LaFrankie (1986a) argued, on morphological evidence, for transfer of Smilacina and one other genus to Maianthemum. Conran and Tamura (1998: 193) accepted the transfer and argued: "Recent DNA sequence data of a part of matK (J. Yamashita and M.N. Tamura unpubl.) support the inclusion of Smilacina in Maianthemum".
Yurtsev: Despite its probable close genetic relationship with Smilacina, Maianthemum obviously deserves status as a genus, one that is widely accepted: (1) Its peculiar and stable morphology with filiform freely branched rhizomes, few cordate leaves per stem, 4-parted (not 6-parted) perianth; and (2) its circumboreal restriction to zonal and montane taiga forests.
Elven: The main northern boreal to arctic species of Smilacina - S. trifolia - fits most of the Maianthemum criteria given by Yurtsev except for the number of tepals. The 4-parted flower that characterizes Maianthemum vs. Smilacina is a genetically simple reduction from the 6-parted one (Utech and Kawano 1976). We therefore treat Smilacina and Maianthemum as one genus under the latter name. Further information on chromosome numbers is found in Kawano and Iltis (1963, 1966), Kawano et al. (1967, 1968), and Valentine and Hassan (1971).
-
{{en
Source: Jomegat at Wikispecies
Higher Taxa
- Ruscaceae [30,family]