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This chapter compares the anatomical and pharmacological properties of the recombinant NMDA receptor subunits with the properties of native NMDA receptor subtypes. It first summarizes the anatomical distribution of individual receptor subunits and then compares their distributions with those of NMDA receptor subtypes identified in radio ligand binding studies. Radioligand binding studies indicate the presence of at least four pharmacologically distinct populations of NMDA receptors with differing regional distributions. There is substantial regional variation among members of both the NR1 and NR2 subunit families; however, the distributions of the NR2 subunits correspond much more closely to the distributions of the pharmacologically distinct NMDA receptor populations.

Arecoideae is the largest subfamily of Arecaceae, containing about 1300 spp. within 107 genera. The group includes the great majority of arborescent palms with reduplicately pinnate leaves, as well as many palms of low stature (also reduplicately pinnate) that are important components of rainforest understorey vegetation. The distribution of the subfamily is primarily concentrated in the wet tropics of the New World and southeast Asia to the South Pacific. This chapter discusses the anatomical features of the tribes Iriarteeae, Chamaedoreeae, Podococceae, Oranieae, Sclerospermeae, Roystoneeae, Reinhardtieae, Cocoseae, Manicarieae, Euterpeae, Geonomateae, Leopoldinieae, Pelagodoxeae, and Areceae. It also provides a summary of major Leaf anatomical characters and states that contribute to an understanding of the systematics of Arecoideae at the intertribal level.

The Coryphoideae constitute the second largest subfamily of Arecaceae with respect to the number of genera and the third with regard to number of species. Within Coryphoideae, anatomical data is of greatest systematic significance among the tribal clades and within less inclusive levels of hierarchy. There are no unequivocal anatomical synapomorphies that support the relationships among the major clades. Analyses of most characters reveal substantially homoplasious histories, but nevertheless they allow for the discovery of synapomorphies for many clades. This chapter highlights the characters of greatest systematic significance within each major clade. It discusses the anatomical features of the tribes Sabaleae, Cryosophileae, Phoeniceae, Trachycarpeae, Chuniophoeniceae, Caryoteae, Corypheae, and Borasseae.

The Calamoideae, sister to all other Arecaceae, is the second most species-rich subfamily of palms, containing about 615 spp. within 21 genera. The subfamily is distributed throughout the wet tropics, and includes the great majority of climbing palms, most notable of which are the economically important rattans. Also well represented within the group are self-supporting palms, ranging in physiognomy from tall trees to shrub-like or acaulescent growth form. Despite variations in the habit and life history strategy of Calamoideae, the circumscription of the subfamily has remained stable since the earliest comprehensive classification of palms by Martius (1823–1850).This chapter discusses the anatomical features of the tribes Eugeissoneae, Lepidocaryeae, Calameae, and Salaccinae, along with the features of their corresponding subtribes.

The subfamily Ceroxyloideae exhibits an unusually large amount of structural diversity for a clade that contains but eight genera distributed among three tribes. Like its sister group Arecoideae, Ceroxyloideae are characterized by their reduplicate pinnate leaves and in having relatively inconspicuous bracts subtending the primary branches of the inflorescence. From both an anatomical and morphological perspective, Ceroxyloideae are without any unique synapomorphies. However, character analysis optimizes the presence of adaxial subepidermal fibres as a synapomorphy for the subfamily, with a subsequent loss of these fibres within Ceroxyleae. This chapter discusses the anatomical features of the tribes Cyclospatheae, Ceroxyleae, and Phytelepheae.