Apomixis and Polyembryony in the Guggul Plant, Commiphora wightii

The present report is a part of our study on the reproductivebiology of a traditional Indian medicinal plant,Commiphora wightii,a source of guggul steroids. Field examination showed a predominantlylarge number of isolated and groups of female individuals. Onlyone andromonoecious and two exclusively male plants were recorded.Female plants set seed irrespective of the presence or absenceof pollen. Hand-pollination experiments and embryological studieshave confirmed the occurrence of non-pseudogamous apomixis,nucellar polyembryony and autonomous endosperm formation forthe first time in this plant, which is presently threatenedby over-exploitation. Commiphora wightii ; autonomous endosperm; guggul; medicinal plant; non-pseudogamous apomixis; nucellar polyembryony