Taxonomic studies of tribe Epilobieae Endl. (Onagraceae) in Korea based on morphology and seed microstructure

In this paper, we conducted the taxonomic study of the tribe Epilobieae Endl. and concluded that a total of nine taxa, including one Chamerion (Raf.) Raf. ex Holub and eight Epilobium L., exist in Korea. Although C. angustifolium subsp. angustifolium has been placed traditionally either in Epilobium or Chamaenerion, it can be clearly distinguished from the species of Epilobium by having alternate leaves, slightly zygomorphic flowers, non-clefted petals, and equal length of 8 stamens, supporting the recognition of genus Chamerion. All but one species of Epilobium, E. platystigmatosum, was investigated for the surface of seeds using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The seed sculpture of Korean Epilobium can be classified into three types, i.e., papillose, reticulate, and ridged. E. ciliatum subsp. ciliatum is the only species Epilobium, which has the ridged seed sculpture. E. amurense subsp. cephalostigma can be distinguished from conspecific E. amurense subsp. amurense based on leaf shape, trichome shape and distribution, size and habit. Both E. fastigiatoramosum and E. palustre have entire leaf margins, but they can be distinguished based on leaf shape, stigma, and seed sculpture; the former has elongated elliptic leaves, capitate stigma, ridged seed sculpture, whereas the latter one has elongated lanceolate leaves, club-shaped stigma, and reticulate seed sculpture. Finally, we report the first record of E. platystigmatosum in Korea, and further comparative study including conspecific populations from Japan and China can clarify the occurrence of this taxon in Korea.