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Structure and development of ‘witches' broom’ galls in reproductive organs of B yrsonima sericea ( M alpighiaceae) and their effects on host plants
Author(s) -
Guimarães A. L. A.,
Neufeld P. M.,
SantiagoFernandes L. D. R.,
Vieira A. C. M.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
plant biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.871
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1438-8677
pISSN - 1435-8603
DOI - 10.1111/plb.12231
Subject(s) - biology , gynoecium , sepal , inflorescence , petal , botany , ovary , stamen , host (biology) , broom , meristem , rubus , gall , pollen , shoot , ecology , endocrinology
Galls are anomalies in plant development of parasitic origin that affect the cellular differentiation or growth and represent a remarkable plant–parasite interaction. B yrsonima sericea DC . ( M alpighiaceae) is a super host of several different types of gall in both vegetative and reproductive organs. The existence of galls in reproductive organs and their effects on the host plant are seldom described in the literature. In this paper, we present a novel study of galls in plants of the Neotropical region: the ‘witches' broom’ galls developed in floral structures of B . sericea . The unaffected inflorescences are characterised by a single indeterminate main axis with spirally arranged flower buds. The flower buds developed five unaffected brownish hairy sepals and five pairs of elliptical yellow elaiophores, five yellow fringed petals, 10 stamens and a pistil with superior tricarpellar and trilocular ovary. The affected inflorescences showed changes in architecture, with branches arising from the main axis and flower buds. The flower buds exhibited several morphological and anatomical changes. The sepals, petals and carpels converted into leaf‐like structures after differentiation. Stamens exhibited degeneration of the sporogenous tissue and structures containing hyphae and spores. The gynoecium did not develop, forming a central meristematic region, from which emerges the new inflorescence. In this work, we discuss the several changes in development of reproductive structures caused by witches' broom galls and their effects on reproductive success of the host plants.