Floral development of two species of Stylidium (Stylidiaceae) and some remarks on the systematic position of the family Stylidiaceae

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.

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.


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.


1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (9) ◽  
pp. 1765-1776 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. P. Ronse Decraene ◽  
E. F. Smets

A study of the floral development of Dicentra formosa, Corydalis lutea, and Hypecoum procumbens was carried out to better understand the nature of the androecium in Fumariaceae. Sepals emerge successively in a median position and are followed by two alternating pairs of petals. Four stamen primordia are formed in a diagonal position. They are promptly followed by two lateral, slightly externally inserted primordia. In Dicentra and Corydalis the stamens arise on two crescent-shaped protuberances. In Hypecoum, four diagonal androecial primordia fuse into two median staminal complexes. The gynoecium emerges as a girdling primordium with four growth centers. Different interpretations of the androecium are discussed. It is demonstrated that the androecium in the Fumariaceae consists basically of two whorls: an outer whorl of four alternipetalous stamens and an inner whorl of two lateral stamens superposed to the outer petals. The monothecal nature of the alternipetalous stamens and the fusion of the stamens in two triplets is probably caused by a spatial median compression of the flower bud. The androecium of Hypecoum is the result of interprimordial growth between the pairs of monothecal stamens, and the androecium of Pteridophyllum arises through the loss of the two lateral stamens superposed to the outer petals. Key words: Fumariaceae, floral development, androecium, stamen whorls.


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.


1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 844-857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taylor A. Steeves ◽  
Margaret W. Steeves ◽  
A. Randall Olson

The development of the flower of Amelanchier alnifolia from initiation to the onset of anthesis is described. Sepals are formed sequentially, but interprimordial zonal growth results in the initiation of the hypanthium. Petals and stamens arise in whorls around the floral meristem as the hypanthium extends. They show neither coalescence nor adnation and do not appear to contribute to the development of the hypanthium. Gynoecial primordia arise individually, give rise to the styles and stigmas, and are joined basally by zonal growth to produce the roof of the ovary. The wall of the inferior ovary is interpreted as a gynoecial hypanthium. It is difficult to determine the extent to which the gynoecial primordia contribute to the development of the ovary. They do not give rise to most of its structure but may be responsible for the initiation of the ovules. There is evidence of postgenital fusion of the septal margins as they converge in the centre of the ovary. The timing of events in floral development is recorded for the locality of the study. The observations are discussed in relation to current theories concerning the nature of the inferior ovary. Key words: Amelanchier, flower, development, inferior ovary, hypanthium.


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.


1991 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 553 ◽  
Author(s):  
AN Drinnan ◽  
PY Ladiges

Floral development is described in selected species of informal subgenus Symphyomyrtus (Pryor and Johnson 1971). The corolline operculum in most species is equivalent to those of informal subgenera Eudesmia, Idiogenes (E. cloëziana) and Monocalyptus. It is formed by growth centre continuity, and shows characters consistent with the dorsal components of Angophora and bloodwood corolline parts. Stamen primordia form on a corolline buttress that develops into the stemonophore of the mature flower. This feature is a synapomorphy for Symphyomyrtus sens. strict., Eudesmia, Idiogenes and Monocalyptus. Eucalyptus microcoiys has the plesiomorphic conditions of four free imbricate petals that show no evidence of compound development, and stamens arising directly on the floral apex, not on a stemonophore precursor. The apparent bundling of stamens is a result of differential bud growth, and bears only a superficial resemblance to stamen groups in Eudesmia eucalypts. The corollas of E. brachyandra (informal subgenus Telocalyptus) and E. guilfoylei (Symphyomyrtus) also consist of free, simple petals, but the unavailability of early developmental stages precludes a complete interpretation of these and the remaining three species of Telocalyptus.


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