Abstract
Lin (2001) revised the genus Illicium (Illiciaceae) and suggested two sections: Sect. Illicium (with white petals and keeled leaf midrib) and Sect. Cymbostemon (with radish petals and impressed leaf midrib). In this research, we suggested 5 Illicium taxa in Taiwan could be divided into these two sections (Sect. Illicium: I. daibuense, I. philippinense, I. tashiroi; Sect. Cymbostemon: I. arborescens and an unknown Illicium sp. with pink petals).
Lin (2001) suggested that carpel number is a diagnostic character for I. philippinense and I. tashiroi. Our research result reveals that carpel number of I. philippinense in most individuals is usually fewer than that of I. tashiroi, but the range of carpel number in each Illicium is overlapped. Carpel number seems not a diagnostic character for these two taxa in Taiwan. In this research, eight morphological characters (carpel number, follicle apex, follicle pedicel, follicle diameter, follicle height in lateral view, blade length, blade width and stipule) and 10 OTUs in An-Ma-Shan, Taichung Co. were measured and analyzed by numerical analyses. These ten OTUs could be divided into two groups. Numerical analysis of all Illicium spp. in Taiwan would be proceed in future. The Illicium sp. found only in Dasheshan Forestry Road seems to be a hybrid because of flowering but never fruiting. Hybridization of this Illicium sp. should be researched in future.
The pollen morphology of Illicium spp. in Taiwan was observed by Scanning Electronic Microscope (SEM). Ditches in the pole faces were diagnostic characters of pollen grain of Illicium spp. in Taiwan. Pollen grains of I. arborescens and Illicium sp.were syncolpate. Pollen grains of I. daibuense , I. philippinense and I. tashiroi was tri-colporate.
Based on cladistic analyses of trnL-trnF and ITS sequences, Taiwanese Illicium spp. And Japanese I. tashiroi differentiated into two clades. Results of trnL-trnF sequence could not divided members in two sections of Illicium spp. Results of ITS sequence could divided Taiwanese Illicium spp. into the two sections but could not divided these taxa clearly. By these results, we suggested Japanese and Taiwanese I. tashiroi are different species and further taxonomic research is necessary.