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How do vestured pits in Myrtales wood differ from vessel pits in most flowering plants?
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Myrtales
Common myrtle (Myrtus communis).
In the plant order Myrtales, the vessel pits are distinguished by their unique "vestured" appearance. Unlike the standard vessel pits found in most other angiosperms, vestured pits feature minute outgrowths that project from the borders of the pit into the pit cavity.1
These outgrowths arch over the cavity, giving the pits a distinct sievelike appearance. While bordered pits are common in vascular plants, the presence of these specific processes—which define them as vestured pits—is a rare anatomical characteristic that serves as a key feature in identifying and defining the Myrtales order.1