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FLOWER AND FRUIT DEVELOPMENT IN WIGANDIA CARACASANA (HYDROPHYLLACEAE)
Author(s) -
Hilger Hartmut H.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1987.tb08603.x
Subject(s) - gynoecium , sepal , stele , biology , receptacle , anatomy , petal , ovary , vascular bundle , stamen , dorsum , botany , pollen , endocrinology
In contrast to previous descriptions, which only state the bicarpellate, syncarpous gynoecium of Wigandia caracasana is superior, this paper demonstrates that it is half inferior and zygomorphic. The abaxial carpel is initiated before the adaxial and constitutes the major part of the ovary. The ovarial chamber is divided at the bottom by both a cross zone and false septa, and at the top by apical septa. The dehiscence tissue of the loculicidally opening capsule develops through the median carpel bundles and the small false septa. The sclerified endocarp, consisting of both inner epidermis and adjacent subepidermal layer, acts as opening tissue. From an entire circular stele that enters the receptacle, ten vascular strands originate from ten gaps. They alternatingly diverge either into the dorsal bundle of a sepal and the single trace of the adjacent stamen, or into the single petal trace and two branches supplying adjacent sepals as marginal bundles. The stele itself vascularizes the gynoecium. Half inferior ovaries seem to be more frequent in the Hydrophyllaceae than previously assumed.