Abstract

GALETTO, Leonardo. Flower morphology and anatomy in species of Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoidea. Kurtziana [online]. 2006, vol.32, n.1-2, pp.5-11. ISSN 1852-5962.

Flower morpho-anatomy and nectary structure of four species of Apocynaceae - Asclepiadoideae: Asclepias flava, Funastrum gracile, Morrenia odorata y Philibertia gilliesii, were studied. Flowers are 5-merous except of gynoecium of two carpels, with two styles and a stigma-head adnate to the androecium forming the gynostegium. Five stigmatic zones enclosed within the stigmatic chambers between adjacent anthers under the stigma head can be observed. The androecium consists of five stamens, with fused filaments forming a tube, and 2-locular anthers. The corona is related to the staminal tube and is located around the gynostegium. It can be tubular as in Morrenia odorata or it can show five-free lobes as in Asclepias flava. Pollen is gathered into pollinia which are attached by pairs to a corpuscle on the stigma head. All species have five nectariferous zones which are related to the flanks of the anther base. Each secretory region is located within a stigmatic chamber and consists of one layer of ephitelial cells. Nectar accumulates in the five cuculli in Asclepias flava and Funastrum gracile), or at the corona base in Morrenia odorata and Philibertia gilliesii.

Keywords : Floral morphology; Anatomy; Nectaries; Asclepiadoidea.

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