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With the current reassessment of the phylogeny of Pandanales, revealing the peculiarities of fruit structure of representatives of the order, as well as determination of apomorphies and plesiomorphies of the families included in the order are of importance. With the aim to fill in gaps in the data on fruit structure and to determine principal trends of fruit morphogenesis in Pandanaceae, the present study focused on pericarp anatomy in the genus Freycinetia , fruits of which are traditionally referred to as berries. The present investigation confirmed the lack of a continuous sclerenchymatous zone in the pericarp of Freycinetia species, and the fruit is treated as a superior paracarpous berry of Nuphar type. Fusiform groups of longitudinally elongated sclereids are revealed in the mesocarp of Freycinetia palawanensis (incertae sedis) and F. graminifolia (section Solmsiella). Since this character is treated as specific for the subgenus Gaudichaudiella , the inclusion of these two studied species in this subgenus is proposed. The principal carpological plesiomorphies and apomorphies of the family are outlined, and two scenarios for fruit morphogenesis, from berries to 'drupaceous' fruits and vice versa, are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to modern phylogenetic data, the monotypic subfamily Enkianthoideae is sister to all other subfamilies of the family Ericaceae s.l. Aiming to determine the peculiarities of development and structure of Enkianthus pericarp and to reveal the principal characters of its structure, which can be original for the Ericaceae, we have studied fruit anatomical structure at different stages of development in four species of the genus Enkianthus belonging to three sections: Meisteria , Enkiantella , Enkianthus. The pericarp of superior loculicidal capsule of Enkianthus is differentiated into three histogenetic zones: (i) one-layered exocarp, (ii) multilayered mesocarp differentiated into two histological zones: the peripheral parenchymatous one, and the inner sclerenchymatous one, and (iii) one-layered endocarp composed of tangentially elongated sclereids. It has been shown that the lignification of cells of the endocarp proceeds after the lignification of the inner zone of the mesocarp. Our investigation demonstrates that the superior loculicidal capsules of Enkianthus are capsules of Hamamelis type, which are recognized as the probable ancestral (plesiomorphic) fruit type for other subfamilies of Ericaceae. This fruit type is recognized as the original in several modes of morphogenetic transformations of fruit in Ericaceae family, from which other types of capsules, pyrenariums, and berries originated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: The representatives of the ANA‐grade angiosperms demonstrate a diverse pattern of morphological characters, but their apocarpous gynoecium (except in Nymphaeaceae), composed of at least partly ascidiate carpels, the four‐nucleate and four‐celled female gametophyte, and the diploid endosperm (except in Amborella) are inferred to be plesiomorphies. Since the structure of fruits in Austrobaileyales is under‐investigated, this research aims to fill this gap in these data, describing the carpological characters of ANA‐grade taxa, and potentially illuminating the ancestral fruit and seed types of angiosperms. Methods: The pericarp and seed coat anatomy was studied with light microscopy. The character optimization was carried out using WinClada software. Results: The fruits of Austrobaileya, Trimenia, Kadsura, and Schisandra are determined to be apocarpous berries of the Schisandra type, with a parenchymatous pericarp and mesotestal (Austrobaileya) or exomesotestal seeds (other genera). Most inferred scenarios of fruit evolution indicate that the apocarpous berry is either the most probable plesiomorphic fruit type of all angiosperms, or that of all angiosperms except Amborellaceae. This inference suggests the early origin of the berry in fruit evolution. The plesiomorphic seed type of angiosperms according to reconstructed scenarios of seed type evolution was either a seed lacking a sclerenchymatous layer or an exotestal seed. Conclusions: The current research indicates that an apocarpous berry, and not a follicle, is a probable plesiomorphic character of the ANA‐grade taxa and of angiosperms as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Representatives of three genera of Livistoninae (Johannesteijsmannia , Licuala and Pholidocarpus) develop corky-warted fruits in contrast to fruit with smooth surfaces in most other representatives of the 'apocarpous clade' of Arecaceae subfamily Coryphoideae. The present developmental study is focused on revealing the anatomical peculiarities of the fruit structure of corky-warted species of Livistoninae and tracing the development of their pericarp. Our study shows that the fruits of Johannesteijsmannia, Licuala bintulensis and Pholidocarpus macrocarpus are drupes of the Rhapis type and that the warts on their fruit surface originate soon after gynoecium pollination as the result of two or three developmental events: (1) suberinization of the exocarp cells; (2) progressive multiplication and growth of the outer zone of the mesocarp; and (3) cracking of the peripheral zone of the pericarp. The warts of taxa of Livistoninae develop at the mid stages of fruit organogenesis and are referred to as either alive, composed of parenchymatous cells and sclereids (species of Licuala and Pholidocarpus), or dead, consisting of cells with suberized walls and sclereids (Johannesteijsmannia). The nests of sclereids comprising the stone of Johannesteijsmannia spp. remain disunited during pericarp development until late developmental stages when the formation of a continuous sclerenchymatous layer occurs, which differs from other representatives of the 'apocarpous clade' of Coryphoideae with a continuous layer of sclereids persisting during fruit development (as in L. bintulensis). It is shown that the development of the stone within the drupes of the Rhapis type can be different even in closely related taxa. The recognition of the fruits of studied taxa of Livistoninae as drupes of the Rhapis type like the fruit of many other taxa of Trachycarpeae and the 'apocarpous clade' of Coryphoideae suggest this character as a synapomorphy for this tribe and the whole clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nelumbonaceae, along with Proteaceae and Platanaceae, comprise a sister clade to the family Sabiaceae in the order Proteales, although these families were previously not considered to be related. In this work, we investigated fruitlet development in Nelumbo with a special focus on the principal events of fruitlet ontogenesis and its pericarp histogenesis, aiming to determine whether fruit structure and histology can provide characters supporting current systematic positions and affinities of these families and reveal potential synapomorphies for the order. We demonstrated for the first time that each carpel comprises a biseriate outer and inner epidermis and thick mesophyll with numerous air canals, which differentiate after pollination into a pericarp with a biseriate palisade exocarp and undifferentiated endocarp. The mesocarp differentiated into a protective hard peripheral zone and a soft inner zone. We propose the following additional autapomorphies for Nelumbonaceae: (1) the development of a specific zone of palisade cells of the subdermal layer of the exocarp with U-shaped cell walls thickening to form a light line around the locule, and potentially preventing apoplastic water transport; (2) the presence of a soft inner parenchymatous zone of the pericarp comprising numerous air cavities, channels and layers of spongy parenchyma, which can function as a seed cushion; (3) simultaneous growth of pollinated and unpollinated fruiting carpels up until the middle developmental stages; and (4) intensive development of the embryo and the seed at the late developmental stage in both Nelumbo spp. which has not been reported in any other member of Proteales. The presence of numerous vascular bundles in the fruitlets of Nelumbonaceae, Platanaceae and some Proteaceae is a synapomorphy for these three families forming a well-supported clade in Proteales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on morphological characters the monogeneric family Eupomatiaceae has been traditionally included in Magnoliales, closely related to Magnoliaceae, Himantandraceae or Annonaceae. This is well supported by molecular phylogenetic studies, and Eupomatiaceae appear strongly supported as sister to Annonaceae. Some specific characters of reproductive organs of Eupomatia have been regarded as autapomorphies of Eupomatiaceae. In earlier studies of Eupomatia fruits, the endocarp has been described as undifferentiated. Current research revealed the following notable characters of Eupomatiaceae: a difference in fruit wall structure of peripheral and inner fruiting carpels by congenital fusion of the peripheral carpels with the receptacle (epicarp) from early differentiation of mesocarp, and late growth of endocarp cells in a radial direction resulting in a parenchymatous palisade endocarp shortly before fruit maturation. This study also demonstrates that pericarp development and structure in mature fruits of Eupomatia differ conspicuously from other families of Magnoliales and are more similar to those of some Laurales. This is in addition to the cup-shaped receptacle and inferior ovary (fruit) found in several Laurales, but not other Magnoliales, which could be the result of convergence. The unexpected presence of a palisade endocarp could be a symplesiomorphy of the sister orders Magnoliales and Laurales or a synapomorphy of some Magnoliales and some Laurales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]