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Composite bundles, the host/parasite interface in the holoparasitic angiosperms Langsdorffia and Balanophora (Balanophoraceae)
Author(s) -
Hsiao ShuChuan,
Mauseth James D.,
Peng ChingI.
Publication year - 1995
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.1537-2197.1995.tb15652.x
Subject(s) - vascular bundle , biology , xylem , parasite hosting , parenchyma , vascular tissue , host (biology) , botany , meristem , parasitic plant , anatomy , ecology , shoot , world wide web , computer science
Composite bundles are not simply a type of vascular bundles, but an integrated host/parasite interface. We investigated their structure in tubers of Langsdorffia and Balanophora. Composite bundles in both genera have similar components: 1) a central mass of host vascular tissues among which are located large parasite transfer cells; 2) a sheath of parasite parenchyma surrounding the central host vascular tissues; 3) specialized conducting tissues in the sheath; and 4) apical meristems composed of both host and parasite meristematic cells. Sheath parenchyma is recognizable from parasite tuber matrix by having thinner cell walls, and, especially in Langsdorffia , by the presence of collapsed matrix cells between the bundle sheath and tuber matrix. Sheath‐conducting tissues consist of densely cytoplasmic transfer cells and small sieve tube members; in Langsdorffia , tracheary elements are also present. These sheath bundles connect with vascular bundles of the tuber matrix. Direct host/parasite contact only occurs by means of parasite transfer cells in the composite bundles. There is no xylem‐xylem contact at the host/parasite interface. Abundance of parasite transfer cells suggests that they play an important role in nutrient absorption and translocation.