• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2008

Anatomical features of seed coat were examined on Trollius, Calathodes, and Caltha of Ranunculaceae to evaluate the taxonomic circumscription of Megaleranthis saniculifolia, which is monotypic and endemic in Korea. Megaleranthis saniculifolia showed the exotestal type of seed coat exhibiting a well-developed palisade structure in exotesta and its external surface of exotesta cells was concave. On the other hand, the shape of exotesta cells in Caltha was cuboidal and the outer surface was smooth. The exotesta of Calathodes seeds was formed of the palisade structure like M. saniculifolia, but the outer surface of exotesta cells was smooth. The palisade structure was much better developed in the exotesta of Calathodes as well as Megaleranthis seeds than in the exotesta of Trollius seeds. The outer surface of exotesta cells in Trollius was either convex or concave according to the species examined. Since the genera of the subtribe Calthinae of the family display differences in seed sculpturing and the anaotmy of seed coat, these characteristics are useful to access taxonomic relationships among them. The morphological and anatomical features of seed coat suggest that Megaleranthis be possibly allied with Trollius rather than Caltha or Calathodes. Concave surface of seed coat cells and well-developed palisade structure of exotesta are shared by M. saniculifolia and some species of Trollius in common.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.103-107
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• 2011

The seed characteristics of Withania somnifera were studied using light and scanning electron microscopy in order to determine the specific features of this species. The seed color is yellow, and the seed shape is reniform measuring between two to three millimeters. The seed of W. somnifera is exarillate and albuminous. The seed coat type is exotestal. The seed coat develops from a single integument. The young seed coat consists of single-layered exotesta, multi-layered mesotesta and single-layered endotesta. However, parenchymatous mesotesta layers are completely compressed at maturity. Therefore, the seed coat was represented by sclerenchymatous exotesta. The primary sculpture on the seed surface is reticulate, and cells are irregular in shape with undulating anticlinal walls. In addition, the seed surface has several characteristic holes between the anticlinal walls.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.173-177
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• 1996

This study was carried out to improve utility value as soybean genetic resources and to obtain basic information for color-soybean breeding. The 146 local color soybean lines collected in Kyongbuk province were investigated major agronomic characteristics. Seed coat-color showed seven different types which were black, white mottled on black, white mottled on brown, black saddle on green, green, raddish brown and brown. Major color types were black and green colors. The 90 percent of collected lines were purple in flower color. The 86 lines were green in color of cotyledonary part and 64 lines yellow. Great variations were observed in days to flowering and days from flowering to maturity, 51 to 81 days and 75 to 103 days, respectively. But days to maturity was 150 to 159 days and had smaller variation than days to flowering and days from flowering to maturity in all lines except those with white mottled on black (123 days). The 100 seed weight ranged below 10g to over 36g. Black seed color with green embryo seed was heavier seed weight than black seed color with yellow embryo seed. Seed shape of all collected lines was ellipsodial and average ratio of length: width: thickness of seed was 1:0.87:0.69. Positive correlation coeffieients were obtained among seed length, width, thickness and 100 seed weight.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.226-233
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• 2010

An intensive study of the embryology of Gymnospermium microrrhynchum was conducted to provide information regarding a discussion of the phylogenetic relationships of the genus, which is yet unstudied. Our results indicated that Gymnospermium is similar to other genera of Berberidaceae in terms of its embryological features. Nevertheless, newly reported and unique features are the well-developed endothelium and the undifferentiated seed coat type. Until the study of Gymnospermium, it may have been considered to be closer to Caulophyllum and Leontice in the tribe Leonticeae. These three genera share many morphological features as well as molecular similarities, by which they are kept in the same tribe, Leonticeae. However, very little detailed embryological data regarding these genera have been published thus far. Gymnospermium was characterized according to the basic type of anther wall formation as well as its glandular tapetum, successive cytokinesis in the microspore mother cell, two-celled mature pollen grains, anatropous and crassinucellate ovules with a nucellar cap, well-developed endothelium, its Polygonum type of embryo sac formation, its nuclear type of endosperm formation, and its undifferentiated seed coat type. In comparison with Nandina, there are many differences, such as the dehiscence of the anther, the cytokinesis in the microspore mother cells, the shape of the megaspore dyad, and the seed characteristics. Although we had no available detailed embryological information regarding Caulophyllum and Leontice, which are genera that are more closely related to Gymnospermium, we could deduce from the phylogenetic relationship that Gymnospermium, Caulophyllum, and Leontice are more closely related to each other than other genera of Berberidaceae on the basis of the seed characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.137-153
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• 2017

Fruit and seed morphological characteristics were investigated in 36 taxa of 20 genera of Korean Ranunculaceae. As a result, fruits were classified as the achene, berry, or follicle type. In the taxa with achene, the presence of trichomes and stoma on the surface of the fruit and a feature in which the endocarp distinctively develops into a one-layer sclereid were considered as useful characteristics. Moreover, in the taxa with follicles, the composition of the seed coat (bitegmic vs. unitegmic), the cell shape of the seed coat, the presence of trichomes, and the type of seed coat were useful for taxonomic characteristics in Korean Ranunculaceae. Based on the fruit and seed characteristics, Adonis is likely to be classified into Helleboroideae rather than Ranunculoideae, as it has bitegmic ovules. In addition, Enemion is similar to Eranthis in unitegmic ovule and the seed coat structure which has non-sclereid exotesta; therefore, it is reasonable to be placed in Helleboroideae. According to the results of this study, more in-depth research is needed regarding the taxonomic positions of Callianthemum and Actaea, which has the only berry fruit type.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.247-252
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• 2012

Seed morphology in the subtribe Agrimoniinae (Rosaceae) was examined using scanning electron microscopy to identify distinct characters and evaluate their evolution in a phylogenetic framework for five genera in the subtribe: Agrimonia L., Aremonia Neck. ex Nestl., Hagenia J.F. Gmel., Leucosidea Eckl. & Zeyh., and Spenceria Trimen. All genera have one or two mature achenes in a fruiting hypanthium. In the seed coats, the cell shape, size, wall features, and sculpturing vary across genera. Of most significance is the presence of papillae structures in both Agrimonia and Aremonia. Through the mapping of papillae features onto phylogenetic trees, either one or two changes in seed coats are hypothesized. The phylogenetic tree inferred from four nuclear and six chloroplast regions of sequence data suggests that at least two steps of papillae sculpturing on seed coats are required. On the other hand, in the phylogenetic tree of a low-copy nuclear gene, one independent evolutionary step is postulated to explain the current character states. In the latter hypothesis, the seed coat sculpturing also supports a monophyletic relationship for cosmopolitan Agrimonia and European endemic Aremonia. The seed coat sculpturing provides valuable information for inferring phylogenetic relationships at the generic level in the subtribe Agrimoniinae.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.411-420
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• 2003

To examine the seed morphology in Korean Orobanchaceae, seeds of 5 species including 1 variety in five genera and one related taxon, Boschniakia himalaica Hook. f. & Thomson in Hook. f. from the Himalaya (7 taxa in total) were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Two different seed types are recognized depending on three characters (e.g, .the seed size, seed coat structure and seed number per fruit). - Type I: size less than 1mm, seed coat structure reticulate and seed number per fruit more than ca. 1,000; Type II: size more than 1 mm, exotesta irregularly crested and seed number per fruit less than 1,000 (Lathraea japonicu Miq.). In Type I, three subtypes of exotesta internal surface pattern can also be classified; (1) Subtype Ia: reticulate - include irregularly striate (Ia') and deeply reticulate (Ia"), (2) Subtype Ib: foveolate, (3) Subtype Ic: smooth. Systematics application of the seed morphological data for the Korean Orobanchaceae is also briefly discussed.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.191-201
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• 2014

In order to find useful taxonomic morphological characters, 17 taxa from East-Asia Astragalus and Oxytropis anertii were investigated. In this study, seed coat structure, fruit surface, and fruit anatomical structures were selected to classify the species in Astragalus. As a results, useful morphological and anatomical characters in East-Asia Astragalus were life cycle, leaflet shape, raceme, petal color, seed color, pod shape, absent or present of hairs in pod surface, bent degree of dorsal suture, and thickness of endocarp. Using medicinal sources in China, A. floridus, A. membranaceus, A. membranaceus var. mongholicus and A. tongolensis were formed same group. However, these were not completely consensus in the morphological characters. The other hand, A. koraiensis and A. sikokianus, which have controversial taxonomic issue, have clearly no differences morphological characters each other. Therefore, A. koraiensis, A. sikokianus, and A. bhotanensis should be conducted a comparative study on the DNA sequences and molecular cytology in order to clarify the taxonomic treatments in the near future.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.61-73
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• 2003

External and anatomical characters such as stem, leaf, ovary, calyx lobe, ultrastructure of stigma epidermis of leaf blade and midvein, corolla lobe, seed coat and pollen were examined on Pterygocalyx volubilis and Tripterospermum japonicum of Korean Gentianaceae. Fruit characters(capsule and berry), absent or not of corona and pollen characters(reticulate and striate) has been used by identification characters of two taxa. But study results, external characters(root, leaf, calyx lobe, stigma, anther), internal characters(calyx love, ovary) and ultrastructure characters(epidermis o leaf blade and midvein, corolla lobe, seed coat) were useful for species identification. Taxonomic relationships among problematic taxa were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.105-107
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• 2010

This study was carried out to find specific characters of the seed morphology and anatomy of Korean Eranthis in Ranunculaceae. As a result, E. byunsanensis differs with E. stellata on the basis of presence of unicellular hairs on the seed surface. E. stellata has no unicellular hairs on its seed surface. On the other hand, E. byunsanensis bears such unicellular hairs derived from epidermal cells of the seed surface. Besides other morphological characters used when it was published as a new species, the presence of unicellular hairs on the seed surface strongly supports it as an endemic species of Korea. In addition, to compare the seed morphology of E. pinnatifida and E. pungdoensis, for which mature seeds were not available at this time, an additional study should be conducted in near future.