A morphological and embryological study of Callicoma serratifolia Andr. (Cunoniaceae).

1981 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 721 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Kennedy ◽  
N Prakash

The morphological and anatomical features of Callicoma serratifolia populations on the New England Tablelands reveal the existence of two distinct groups, here designated A and B. Major morphological differences between these groups include leaf margin serration, distribution of hairs on stems and branches, possession of one trichome type in group A in contrast to two types found in group B, overall leaf size and venation patterns. At the anatomical level the differences are in vessel dimensions and the number of bars on perforation plates. Features common to both groups include bisexual, pentamerous and apetalous flowers, tetrasporangiate versatile anthers with a glandular tapetum, simultaneous cytokinesis in pollen mother cells and colporate pollen which is released at the 2-celled stage. The ovules are anatropous, bitegmic and crassinucellate with a polygonum type of embryo sac development. The endosperm is of the nuclear type. Both integuments contribute to the formation of the seed coat. The embryo is straight. While in its vegetative anatomy C. serratifolia resembles members of the families Eucryphiaceae, Saxifragaceae and Escalloniaceae, embryologically it closely resembles Baueraceae and less closely the subfamily Hydrangeoideae of the Saxifragaceae.

1964 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 157 ◽  
Author(s):  
PS Woodland

A comparative study was carried out between diploid and tetraploid races of Themeda australis from Armidale and Cobar, respectively. Some morphological variations occur in both populations, but sporogenesis and gametogenesis are identical. The anther is tetrasporangiate and the development of its four-layered wall is described. The tapetum is of the secretory type and its cells become binucleate at the initiation of meiosis in the adjacent microspore mother cells which undergo successive cytokinesis. Microspore tetrads are usually isobilateral and the pollen grains are three-celled at dehiscence, which takes place by lateral longitudinal slits. The ovule is of a modified anatropous form and bitegmic, the broad micropyle being formed of both integuments. The single hypodermal archesporial cell develops directly into the megaspore mother cell and the nucellar epidermis undergoes periclinal and anticlinal divisions to form a conspicuous epistase. The chalaza1 megaspore of the linear tetrad gives rise to a Polygonum-type embryo sac. Material from the Armidale population showed one embryo sac per ovule, but two to five embryo sacs were present in that from Cobar. Embryogeny is typically graminaceous and endosperm formation is at first free-nuclear, later becoming cellular. Polyembryony follows fertilization of several embryo sacs within the same ovule. The reasons for low fertility of T. australis and poor germination of seeds are discussed.


1969 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 425 ◽  
Author(s):  
FB Sampson

Floral ontogeny and gametophyte development of the New Zealand endemic species Laurelia novae-zelandiae is described. The microsporangium has three to five wall layers inside the epidermis, including a typically thickened endothecium and a tapetum of the secretory type in which the cells become binucleate during the first meiotic division of pollen mother cells. Cytokinesis of pollen mother cells is of an unusual type in which centrifugal cell plates do not develop until the end of meiosis 11. The generative cell of the pollen grain is cut off against what represents a radial wall of the grain with reference to the tetrad stage. Pollen is two- or three-celled when shed. Ovules are bitegmic, crassinucellate, and anatropous with a Polygonum type of embryo sac development.


1965 ◽  
Vol 43 (12) ◽  
pp. 1539-1547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pushpa Khanna

The anther is tetralocular and its wall consists of four layers: epidermis, endothecium, a middle layer, and the uninucleate tapetum. The endothecial cells develop characteristic fibrous thickenings. Microspore mother cells divide meiotically to form four nuclei. One of them grows in size and becomes the functional nucleus of the pollen grain while the three non-functional ones are pushed to the periphery. A cleavage furrow accompanied by a cell plate separates them from the functional nucleus. Similar walls, though less prominent, separate the non-functional nuclei from each other. The walls are comparatively distinct in Cyperus rotundus and Kyllinga melanospora.The ovule is anatropous, bitegmic, and crassinucellate. The inner integument forms the micropyle. An outgrowth from the funiculus gives rise to an obturator. The hypodermal archesporial cell divides to form a two-layered parietal tissue and a sporogenous cell. Embryo sac is of the Polygonum type. Double fertilization takes place.The embryogeny conforms to the Juncus variation of the onagrad type in Cyperus rotundus and Kyllinga melanospora and to the asterad type in Scirpus mucrinatus.The integuments each are two-layered. The inner becomes three- to four-layered at the micropylar end. Both of them ultimately fuse to form a thin testa. The thick pericarp also functions as testa.


1969 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 403 ◽  
Author(s):  
FB Sampson

Inflorescences, flowers, and floral vascularization of the New Zealand endemic species Hedycarya arborea are described. Varying carpel vasculature suggests derivation of the uniovulate condition in Hedycarya from ancestors having multiovulate carpels with ovules in two rows, Floral ontogeny is described and it is noted that the terminal stigmatic region of the carpel develops from a solid terminal meristem, in contrast to many woody Ranales in which the stigma consists of crests surrounding the carpel cleft. The stigmatic surface is a mass of globose projections, apparently serving as pollen traps. No comparable type of stigma has previously been reported in the woody Ranales. The microsporangium has a typically thickened endothecium and a tapetum of the secretory type with tapetal cells becoming binucleate during the first meiotic division of pollen mother cells. Pollen mother cell division is of the successive type with cytokinesis by centrifugally extending cell plates. The generative cell is cut off towards the distal face of the microspore. The pollen, in permanent tetrads, is shed in the two-celled condition. Ovules are bitegmic, crassinucellate, and anatropous with a Polygonum type of embryo sac development. Some comparisons are made with the Australian species Hedycarya angustifolia.


1969 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Prakash

The anther is tetrasporangiate and the development of its wall is of the Basic type. Ubisch granules are formed on the surface of the tapetum at the signet-ring stage of the pollen grains. The anther dehisces by longitudinal slits, and pollen grains are shed at the two-celled stage. The female archesporium is subepidermal and cuts off the primary parietal cell. A six-layered parietal tissue is formed below the nucellar epidermis by the time megasporogenesis is completed. The flowers are protandrous, and in any given bud meiosis in megaspore mother cells follows that in microspore mother cells. Embryo sac development is of the Polygonum type and the antipodal cells are ephemeral. Cell formation in the nuclear endosperm commences at the micropylar end and proceeds towards the chalaza. Embryogeny corresponds to the Onagrad type and no evidence of polyembryony was found. Both the integuments take part in the formation of the seed coat, in which the cells of the outer layer of the outer integument are conspicuously elongated. A comparison is made with the embryological findings in other myrtaceous plants.


1969 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 457 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Prakash

The flower buds of Angophora floribunda appear in the last week of November and anthesis occurs in the middle of January the following year. There is no prolonged resting phase at any stage during embryology and the seeds are shed during late February to early March. In floral development, the petals are the last structures to be formed. Early anther development precedes corresponding stages in the ovules of the same flower, but events in the ovules proceed more rapidly and meiosis occurs simultaneously in the spore mother cells of both organs. The mature two-celled pollen grains are shed when the ovules contain four-or eight-nucleate embryo sacs. Many flowers bear anthers containing only sterile pollen grains, which occur either singly or as tetrads. Various abnormalities in the development of the pollen are reported, and the anthers containing sterile pollen neither develop fibrous bands in the endothecium nor do they dehisce. The ovules are bitegminal, crassinucellar, and hemianatropous. Occasional bifurcation of the inner integument was observed and a hypostase differentiates at the four-nucleate stage of the embryo sac. The embryo sac follows the Polygonum type of development and is five-nucleate and four-celled when mature. The endosperm is Nuclear in origin, and in about half the seeds examined a granular unidentified substance accumulates in the embryo sac. The development of the embryo is irregular and the seedlings bear a collar-like structure at the junction of the hypocotyl and the radicle. The mature embryos are usually dicotyledonous but rarely tricotyledonous. The seed coat is formed exclusively by the outer integument; in the ripe seed it consists of an outer epidermis of large, palisade-like, thin-walled, tanniniferous cells and an inner crystalliferous layer.


1969 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 69 ◽  
Author(s):  
RLN Sastri

The floral morphology and development of the gametophytes in Berberis umbellata and Mahonia leschenaultii have been studied. All the perianth members have three traces each in B. umbellata while in M. leschenaultii the members of the outer three whorls have five veins each and those of the fourth three veins each. The vascular supply for the inner two whorls of perianth and the stamens arises as conjoint traces. The wall of the gynoecium is traversed by numerous bundles with some concentrated in the placental region. The dorsal and ventral bundles are differentiated in M. leschenaultii but not in B. umbellata. The tricarpellary interpretation of the gynoecium is shown to be unconvincing. The gynoecium is regarded as monocarpellary. The mature anther wall is five-layered including the epidermis, of which the innermost layer forms the tapetum of secretory type. The tapetal cells are four to eight-nucleate. The hypodermal wall layer develops into a fibrous endothecium in M. leschenaultii. In B. urnbellata, the endothecium develops U-shaped thickenings. Division of pollen mother cells is successive. Pollen tetrads are usually isobilateral. Mature pollen grains are three-colpate and two-celled. The ovule is anatropous, bitegmic, and crassinucellate. In B. umbellata, a rudimentary aril is formed as an outgrowth of the funiculus. The single hypodermal archesporial cell in the young ovule cuts off a parietal cell. Development of the embryo sac is of the Polygonum type. The synergids show filiform apparatus and are persistent. The antipodals are large and persistent in M. leschenaultii and ephemeral in B. umbellata. The relationships of the Berberidaceae (sensu Hutchinson 1959) to the Menispermaceae, Lardizabalaceae, and the Ranunculaceae (sensu lato) are discussed.


1967 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 413 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Prakash

Accessory flowers arise from the surface of inferior ovaries in 25 % of the flowers of Tetragonia, suggesting an axial nature of the inferior ovary. The ovary is six to nine-loculed, with a single pendulous ovule in each locule. The anther is tetrasporangiate. The innermost layer of the four-layered wall constitutes a secretory tapetum with multinucleate cells. Cytokinesis in microspore mother cells is simultaneous and results in tetrahedral or decussate tetrads. The pollen grains are shed at the three-celled stage. The ovules are bitegminal, crassinucellar, and anacampylotropus. The funiculus is long and bears an obturator of glandular cells. The inner integument forms the micropyle and forms a collar at the distal end. A nucellar cap is present. The nucellus persists in the seed as perisperm. The archesporium is multicelled, although only a single cell develops. Following meiosis the megaspore mother cell gives rise to a linear row of three or four megaspores, of which only the chalaza1 functions to form an embryo sac of the Polygonum type. The endosperm is of the Nuclear type and eventually assumes a horseshoe shape. Cell formation is restricted to the micropylar region, the rest remaining nuclear until consumed by the embryo. The embryogeny is of the Solanad type, and the mature embryo is curved and dicotyledonous.


1965 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 379 ◽  
Author(s):  
P Khanna

The stamens are whorled in Brasenia schreberei and spirally arranged in Nelumbo nucifera. The anther is tetrasporangiate. Parietal layers are five-celled in thickness in B. schreberei and six-celled in N. nucifera. Endothecial cells contain a tannin-like substance and develop fibrous thickenings in N. nucifera. The middle layers are persistent in N. nucifera and ephemeral in B. schreberei. The tapetal cells become multinucleate and the layer develops cutinization on its inner walls in N. nucifera. It is secretory. Micronuclei are formed at the meiosis in the microspore mother cells. These degenerate in B. schreberei and form micropollen grains in N. nucifera. Polysporads and compound pollen grains occur frequently in the latter. Pollen sterility is common. In B. schreberei the carpel is horseshoe-shaped, unites with its margins, and bears two to three pendulous ovules with lamina1 placentation. The carpel in N. nucifera, however, remains open in its early development, unites by the growth of the interlocking hairs, and contains a single ovule. A single parietal layer is present in B. schreberei, and four to five such layers in N. nucifera. A hypostase is formed in B. schreberei. The nucellus functions as perisperm in the latter and is consumed early in N. nucifera. A linear megaspore tetrad is formed in which the chalazal megaspore is functional. The embryo sac is of the Polygonum type. The antipodal cells are ephemeral in B. Schreberei and persistent with secondary multiplication in N. nucifera. In post-fertilized ovules one of the synergids is persistent. Fertilization is non-synchronous in N. nucifera and simultaneous in B. schreberei. In N. nucifera the antipodal cells become enlarged and multinucleate, and occupy the elongated tube formed by the downward penetration of the embryo sac. They degenerate at the early globular stage of the embryo and are not persistent when the embryo is pear-shaped. In B. schreberei a transverse cytokinesis follows division of the primary endosperm nucleus and two unequal cells are formed. The small chalazal endosperm cell penetrates the nucellus below and forms a long tube-like haustorium occupying three-quarters of the length of the nucellus. Its nucleus subsequently hypertrophies and degenerates completely at the globular stage of the embryo. Endosperm is ab initio cellular in B. schreberei and free nuclear in N. nucifera.


Author(s):  
Taber A. Ba-Omar ◽  
Philip F. Prentis

We have recently carried out a study of spermiogenic differentiation in two geographically isolated populations of Aphanius dispar (freshwater teleost), with a view to ascertaining variation at the ultrastructural level. The sampling areas were the Jebel Al Akhdar in the north (Group A) and the Dhofar region (Group B) in the south. Specimens from each group were collected, the testes removed, fixed in Karnovsky solution, post fixed in OsO, en bloc stained with uranyl acetate and then routinely processed to Agar 100 resin, semi and ultrathin sections were prepared for study.


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