The core Caryophyllineae sub-order is well-supported with numerous distinctive synapomorphies, such as : 1 ) sieve tubes of phloem with plastids with peripheral ring of proteinaceous filaments ( often with a central protein crystal ), 2 ) presence of betalains, 3 ) loss of the rpl2 intron in cpDNA, 4 ) single whorl of tepals, 5 ) pollen with spinulose and tubiliferous / punctuate exine, 6 ) placentation free-central to basal, curved embryo, and 7 ) presence of perisperm with endosperm scanty or lacking
