Floral development of Butomus umbellatus

1974 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 223-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Singh ◽  
R. Sattler

The primordia of the floral appendages appear in acropetal succession and develop in the order in which they appear. The primordia of each whorl of appendages are formed in a rapid sequence. After the inception of outer tepal primordia, the floral apex becomes triangular. On each angle, one inner tepal primordium together with the primordia of a pair of outer stamens and an inner stamen is formed. The triangularity of the floral apex might be interpreted as an indication of the formation of petal–stamen (CA) primordia as reported for Alisma and Hydrocleis. If this is the case, the primary pattern of organogenesis of the Butomus flower is trimerous and tetracyclic, i.e. one whorl of outer tepals, one complex of inner tepals and stamens, and two whorls of pistils. The floral apices have a two-layered tunica surrounding a central corpus. The initiating divisions in the formation of all floral appendages occur in the second tunica layer. In the case of stamen primordia, the outer corpus is also involved. Procambial development is acropetal. One procambial strand differentiates into each floral appendage shortly after its inception. Additional procambial strands are formed in the pedicel and the perianth and gynoecium. The relationships of Butomus to the Magnoliidae are discussed.


1973 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 647-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Posluszny ◽  
R. Sattler

The floral appendages of Potamogeton densus are initiated in an acropetal sequence. The first primordia to be seen externally are those of the lateral tepals, though sectioning young floral buds (longitudinally, parallel to the inflorescence axis) reveals initial activity in the region of the lower median (abaxial) tepal and stamen at a time when the floral meristem is not yet clearly demarcated. The lateral (transversal) stamens are initiated simultaneously and unlike the median stamens each arises as two separate primordia. The upper median (adaxial) tepal and stamen develop late in relation to the other floral appendages, and in some specimens are completely absent. Rates of growth of the primordia vary greatly. Though the lower median tepal and stamen are initiated first, they grow slowly up to gynoecial inception, while the upper median tepal appears late in the developmental sequence but grows rapidly, soon overtaking the other tepal primordia. The four gynoecial primordia arise almost simultaneously, although variation in their sequence of inception occurs. The two-layered tunica of the floral apices gives rise to all floral appendages through periclinal divisions in the second layer. The third layer (corpus) is involved as well in the initiation of the stamen primordia. Procambial strands develop acropetally, lagging behind primordial initiation. The lateral stamens though initiating as two primordia each form a single, central procambial strand, which differentiates after growth between the two primordia of the thecae has occurred. A great amount of deviation from the normal tetramerous flower is found, including completely trimerous flowers, trimerous gynoecia with tetramerous perianth and androecium, and organs differentiating partially as tepals and partially as stamens.



1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Erbar

The early floral development of Stylidium adnatum and Stylidium graminifolium is characterized by an initial circular primordium whose areas in the transversal plane of the floral primordium show enhanced growth. The spiral inception of the five sepals starts before the differentiation of the initial circular primordium into two stamen primordia in transversal position (in relation to the floral diagram) and the corolla ring primordium below the stamen primordia. Then five petal primordia, which alternate with the sepals, arise on the corolla ring primordium (early sympetaly). Peculiar to the flowers of Stylidiaceae is the column that bears at its top both stigma and anthers. Probably this column should be interpreted as a receptacular tube. No distinct carpel primordia have been observed. The inferior ovary results from intercalary growth in the peripheral parts of the receptacle below the calyx, corolla, and stamen primordia. The residual floral apex gives rise to a transversal septum, by which the ovary becomes bilocular. None of the morphological, palynological, and embryological characters discussed contradicts a position of the Stylidiaceae near the Campanulales, and several of these characters support this position. Key words: Stylidiaceae, Campanulales, floral development, systematic position, floral biology.



2003 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Usher Posluszny ◽  
P Barry Tomlinson

Amborella has woody axes whose development is intrinsically plagiotropic and determinate. The tree habit is achieved through overtopping of older axes by basally produced younger axes, as in Mangenot's model. Inflorescence units, which are produced in the axils of distal leaves, may be described as extended cymes, each branch ending in a flower. Basal bracteoles have a decussate arrangement, which is modified to an alternate phyllotaxis distally. Flowers produce one or more additional bracteoles with a rapid transition to the spiral phyllotaxis of the broad overlapping tepals. In this transition the initially conical floral apex becomes invaginated to form a floral cup, with subsequent appendages appearing on its inner margin. The floral apex then forms the flat base of the cup but retains a discrete single tunica layer. The receptacular bowl is deepened and narrowed by the basal meristem of each appendage, the last formed floral organs usually consuming the floral meristem. Sexual parts are more numerous in male than female flowers, accounting for their size difference, but primordia of stamens and carpels are initially very similar. Floral symmetry is largely a consequence of close packing of appendages within the floral cup. In its initial stages of development the flower does not conform to any conventional floral model in angiosperms and is better regarded as highly specialized rather than ancestral in its synorganization. This is not unexpected in a lineage of such long independent evolution.Key words: Amborella, basal angiosperm, development, inflorescence, primitive flower.



1977 ◽  
Vol 55 (9) ◽  
pp. 1106-1120 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Singh ◽  
R. Sattler

The primordia of the floral appendages are initiated in an acropetal succession. Members of the same whorl appear nearly simultaneously. The gynoecial whorl and the two staminal whorls are trimerous, whereas the perianth consists only of two anteriolateral tepals. However, the posterior (adaxial) tepal may be present as an extremely reduced buttress whose growth becomes arrested immediately after its inception. If this somewhat questionable tepal rudiment is included we have a perfectly trimerous and tetracyclic flower with alternation of successive whorls. Subtending bracts of the flowers are completely missing in all developmental stages. While the tepal primordia are dorsiventral from their inception, the stamen and pistil (carpel) primordia originate as hemispherical mounds which become dorsiventral in subsequent stages of development. Each pistil (carpel) primordium becomes horseshoe shaped. As the margins grow up and contact they fuse postgenitally. No cross zone is formed. Placentation is submarginal. In A. natans eight ovules are formed and in A. undulatus only two arise; all ovules are bitegmic. The floral apices have a two-layered tunica up to the stage of pistil formation. The inception of all floral appendages (including the ovules) occurs by periclinal cell division in the second tunica layer. The third layer (corpus) may contribute to the formation of the stamens and pistils. Each appendage primordium receives only one procambial strand which begins to differentiate after the inception of the primordium. The questionable rudimentary tepal buttress lacks a procambial strand. Apparently it does not reach the developmental stage at which procambial induction occurs. From the point of view of floral development, the two species of Aponogeton differ drastically from members of the Alismatales studied so far. Among the Helobiae, the Aponogetonaceae appear to be most closely related to the Scheuchzeriaceae and the Juncaginaceae (Triglochinaceae).



1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 689 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Orlovich ◽  
A. N. Drinnan ◽  
P. Y. Ladiges

Floral development of seven species of Melaleuca and four species of Callistemon is compared. The multistaminate fascicles of Melaleuca develop from stamen primordia initiated on antepetalous pre-staminal bulges (PSBs); the resultant bundles of stamens become separated by hypanthial expansion as the flower bud enlarges. In most species of Callistemon examined the stamen primordia are initiated directly on the floral apex, and the stamens are distributed evenly around the hypanthium at anthesis. The possession of large and prominent PSBs, and thus stamen fascicles, is a feature of most species of Melaleuca and their total absence is a feature of most species of Callistemon; however, there is a continuum between these two extremes. Several taxa of both genera exhibit intermediate morphology. In C. glaucus (Bonpl.) Sweet, small but distinct PSBs develop, which influence antepetalous stamen groups that remain contiguous at anthesis. This also occurred in M. leucadendra (L.) L. This variable expression of PSBs is the result of differences in the timing of stamen initiation. Other variable features are determined by the space available for primordium initiation and the patterns of growth and expansion of the developing flower.



1974 ◽  
Vol 52 (7) ◽  
pp. 1607-1612 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Posluszny ◽  
R. Sattler

A hyaline, unvascularized sheath envelops a portion of the inflorescence near maturity. Though resembling an appendage of the main axis, in early ontogeny it develops as a prophyll of the renewal growth apex below the inflorescence. Two flowers develop on the inflorescence axis, subopposite each other. Fertile appendages are initiated in an acropetal sequence on each floral bud. The first to form, in the median position, are the two stamens, the lower preceding the upper. Each stamen develops two bisporangiate thecae separated by a broad connective. A dorsiventral outgrowth is initiated slightly abaxially near the tip of the connective at the stage of theca differentiation. This outgrowth appears to be homologous with a similar outgrowth in Potamogeton densus, but not with the sterile appendages of the Potamogeton flower which, by some authors, have incorrectly been interpreted as connective outgrowths. Each carpel arises as a radial primordium which becomes peltate after its inception. One ovule is initiated at the adaxial portion (Querzone). The stigma becomes broad and flat, lobing at its margins. A slight outgrowth develops at the abaxial wall of the carpel. The floral apex has a two-layered tunica. The primordia of the stamens, carpels, and ovules arise by periclinal divisions in the second layer. Procambial development is acropetal following closely primordial inception. Each appendage, including the ovule, receives one procambial strand. The outgrowths of the connective and the carpel lack procambium.



1991 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 539 ◽  
Author(s):  
AN Drinnan ◽  
PY Ladiges

The corolla of E. curtisii Blakely & White clearly consists of free, imbricate parts that closely adhere by their cuticles. Ontogenetic investigation of the corolline parts did not reveal any suggestion of morphological duality that characteristically leads to the complex 'petals' in Angophora and other eucalypts. The stamen primordia are initiated on the inner flank of the invaginated floral apex, and at anthesis are inserted on the rim of the hypanthium. There is no evidence of a stemonophore distinctive of the informal subgenera Eudesmia, Symphyomyrtus and Monocalyptus. The possession of the plesiomorphic condition for both these characters is suggestive of a 'primitive' position for E. curtisii close to the root of the eucalypt phylogenetic tree. This is supported by the possession of several other characters that are apparently plesiomorphic for Eucalyptus sens. lat.



1973 ◽  
Vol 51 (12) ◽  
pp. 2455-2458 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Sattler ◽  
V. Singh

After the inception of three sepal primordia, three petal-stamen (CA) primordia (bulges) are formed in alternisepalous positions. On each of these bulges a petal is initiated, followed by a pair of stamens relatively high up on the bulge, where it is continuous with the floral apex. Growth extends between the three bulges, thus forming an inconspicuous circular rim around the floral apex. As this rim increases in size, further stamens and eventually staminodia are formed centrifugally on the rim. Five or six carpel primordia are initiated centrally to the first-formed pairs of stamen primordia long before all stamens and staminodia have appeared. In spite of considerable deviations from the trimerous monocotyledonous floral construction, the primary organogenetic pattern is trimerous (with the exception of at least the pentamerous flowers) and it is comparable to the primary patterns found in Alisma, Butomus, and other Alismatales. Thus, the study of the earliest developmental stages reveals a common plan that is elusive in later developmental stages and mature flowers.



1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 1356-1365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean M. Gerrath ◽  
Usher Posluszny

The floral ontogeny of Parthenocissus inserta, based on histological and three-dimensional observations, is presented. The inflorescence primordium arises in a leaf-opposed position at two of three nodes. It becomes subtended by a bract, and then bifurcates equally to form a lateral and a main arm. Inflorescence branches are initiated on both arms to form a series of dichasia. The transition from inflorescence branch primordium to floral primordium is marked by the initiation of three sepal primordia. Subsequently a ring primordium forms as the fourth and fifth sepal primordia are initiated, resulting in a calyx which encircles the floral apex. Petals and stamens arise simultaneously as five common petal–stamen primordia, alternating with the sepals. They bifurcate to form separate petal and stamen primordia. The petals are greenish, valvate, hooded, and are separate at maturity. The tetrasporangiate anthers are introrse and pollen is tricolporate. The gynoecium arises as a ring primordium. Two septa arise from the inner gynoecial wall and the floral apex, and will eventually form an essentially two-loculed superior ovary. Two ovules are initiated from the base of each septum. Each of the four ovules is anatropous and bitegmic at maturity. A disc arises from the base of the gynoecium. It appears as five pinkish protuberances of the ovary base at maturity and secretes a nectarlike substance. The fruit is a one- to four-seeded blue-black berry.



1972 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 619-627 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Singh ◽  
R. Sattler

The primordia of the floral appendages are initiated in acropetal order. They develop in the same order in which they appear but for the petals, which are retarded in their early growth and mature rapidly shortly before anthesis. While the sepal primordia are dorsiventral from their inception, the primordia of other appendages are of nearly radial symmetry and become more or less dorsiventral in their later stages of development. Each petal primordium together with the primordia of a stamen pair arise on one common petal–stamen (CA) primordium. The many pistil primordia arise on three antesepalous gynoecial bulges and the area between them. Thus, in its development the flower exhibits primarily a tricyclic trimerous plan. The floral apices have a two-layered tunica up to the stage of pistil inception. The initiation of all floral appendages occurs by periclinal divisions in the second layer. The third layer (corpus) may contribute, especially in the case of the petal–stamen primordia and the gynoecial bulges. The development of procambium is acropetal. Each primordium receives a single procambial strand shortly after its initiation. Thus, procambial differentiation occurs as a response to primordial inception and not according to the principle of the conservatism of vascular tissue. Additional procambial strands may differentiate as a response to increase in size. The relationships of Alisma to some ranalian families are discussed. Since the floral pattern of Alisma may be considered as a secondary derivation from a trimerous pattern, it does not appear primitive at all. Other primitive features such as apocarpy and lack of fusion of pistil margins are however retained. Thus, Alisma is a good example for heterobathmy.



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