Flower and Volatile Oil Ontogeny in Boronia megastigma

The volatile oils of flowers of Boronia megastigma Nees. areimportant commercially but little has been published regardingtheir localization or the dynamics of their synthesis. In thisstudy we examined the histochemistry, anatomy and volatile oilcomposition of the floral organs of plants from a native populationby SEM. Lysigenous glands occurred in all organs except the stigma andandroecium and were associated with the presence of - and ß-pineneand limonene in tissue extracts. These compounds increased inconcentration throughout fruit development. Petals, stamens,staminodes and stigmas were glandular and contained phenolicdeposits, a dense cytoplasm and prominent intercellular spaces.Extracts of these tissues contained dodecanol, ß-iononeand dodecyl acetate, the concentrations of which were greatestat the time of stigma receptivity. The location and timing oftheir synthesis together with their biological activity suggeststhat these volatile oils may have a role in pollination.Copyright1995, 1999 Academic Press Boronia megastigma Nees., Rutaceae, essential oils, volatile oils, reproductive biology, -pinene, ß-pinene, limonene, ß-ionone, dodecyl acetate, heptadecene