Expression of IAA-Lysine Synthetase Gene Caused Variations of Flower Develop ment in Transgenic Tobacco

The indoleacetic acid-lysine synthetase (iaaL) gene of Pseudornonas syringae subsp. savastanoi was fused to a rice Rchl0 promoter and introduced into tobacco plants. The expression pattern of this chimeric Rchl0-iaaL gene in the transgenic plants was studied, and the endogenous levels of indoleacetic acid (IAA) were assayed with the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The results showed that the Rchl0 promoter could direct the high level expression of the iaaL gene in young inflorescences, fully bloomed flowers, and immature fruits, resulted in a decrease of the IAA levels by 32%–82%. The transgenic plants displayed decreased apical dominance, enlongated stamens, abnormal inflorescences and fruits. The transgenie plant pYL614-T14, in which the endogenous IAA levels in inflorescences were reduced by 82 %, displayed extremely abnormal inflorescence with only two flowers and a much higher potential of vegetative growth than that of the controls after flowering. These Rchl 0-iaaL gene transgenic tobacco plants would pro- vide valuable materials for further studies of physiological functions of IAA in reproductive development.     

Bat visits to Marcgravia pittieri and notes on the inflorescence diversity within the genus Marcgravia (Marcgraviaceae)

We report bat visits to the inflorescences of Marcgravia pittieri. The animals were videotaped visiting the nectaries of the inflorescences in short hovering flight. Nectarivorous bats caught in front of the inflorescences were Anoura cultrata and Hylonycteris underwoodi (both Phyllostomidae: Glossophaginae). Furthermore, we provide a short overview on inflorescence architecture within the genus Marcgravia with a special focus on functional morphology in chiropterophilous species.     

Metamerism,heterochrony, and inflorescence morphology of the Pithecellobium-complex (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae: Ingeae)

The diverse inflorescence morphology of species in the Pithecellobium-complex is shown to be a result of: 1) the organization of the components of the inflorescence and their relative positions; 2) the hierarchical relationship of the axes of the inflorescences and the position they assume in total tree architecture; and 3) heterochronic development of the components of the inflorescence. It is shown that the typological system of nomenclature of inflorescences leads to false assumptions of homology and therefore must be discarded. The morphology of inflorescences is discussed in terms of metamerism, and the term Repeating Growth Unit (RGU) is introduced and is defined as the smallest complete sequence of metamers produced by a meristem. A module is defined as the sequence of RGUs produced by a meristem. An inflorescence is defined as that sequence of metamers in an RGU which participates in the production and/or presentation of flowers and fruit. Heterochrony, proleptic and sylleptic buds, and shoot dimorphism are discussed and their role in modifying inflorescence morphology in the Pithecellobium-complex is illustrated. Examples from the Pithecellobium-complex are provided which demonstrate the various modifications of the inflorescence that result from the interaction of these various phenomena.     

A Study on Polymorphism in Aster tripolium L. (Sea Aster)

Abstract: Genotypic and environmental variation in Aster tripolium L. was studied in common garden experiments and in transplantation experiments in different saltmarsh sites along the estuarine gradient of the Westerschelde and along the elevation gradient of individual saltmarshes. Analysis of the variation in a number of morphologic characters of the inflorescences indicated that this variation is both environmentally as well as genetically controlled. Morphologic differences between an Aster tripolium population of a brackish marsh and a number of populations of a saline marsh were unchanged whether the plants were growing in their original habitat or in a transplant habitat. The population from the brackish marsh had smaller inflorescences with ray florets and a predominantly biennial life cycle, in contrast with the populations of the saline marsh, which had larger inflorescences usually without or with a few ray florets and showed a tendency to a perennial life cycle. We concluded that the variation between the populations of the saline and the brackish marsh is mainly genetically controlled, while the variation within the saline marsh is mainly environmentally controlled.     

Choice of flowers by foraging honey bees (Apis mellifera): possible morphological cues

Abstract.

• 1 Honey bees foraging for nectar on lavender (Lavandula stoechas) chose inflorescences with more of their flowers open. The number of open flowers predicted whether an inflorescence was visited by bees, inspected but rejected, or ignored. Inflorescences chosen arbitrarily by observers had numbers of open flowers intermediate between those of visited and ignored inflorescences.
• 2 Differences in morphological characters between types of inflorescence correlated with nectar volume and sugar weight per flower so that visited inflorescences had a disproportionately greater volume of nectar and weight of sugar per flower and greater variance in nectar volume.
• 3 Although there were significant associations between nectar content and the morphological characters of inflorescences, discriminant function analysis revealed discrimination on the basis of morphology rather than nectar content.
• 4 Visited inflorescences tended to have smaller than average flowers but bees tended to probe the largest flowers on visited inflorescences.
• 5 Choice of flowers within inflorescences is explicable in terms of the relationship between flower size and nectar content.

     

Morphology and anatomy of inflorescence and inflorescence axis in Paepalanthus sect. Diphyomene Ruhland (Eriocaulaceae,Poales) and its taxonomic implications

Paepalanthus sect. Diphyomene has inflorescences arranged in umbels. The underlying bauplan seems however to be more complex and composed of several distinct subunits. Despite appearing superficially very similar, the morphology and anatomy of the inflorescences can supply useful information for the understanding of the phylogeny and taxonomy of the group. Inflorescences of Paepalanthus erectifolius, Paepalanthus flaccidus, Paepalanthus giganteus, and Paepalanthus polycladus were analyzed in regard to branching pattern and anatomy. In P. erectifolius, P. giganteus and P. polycladus the structure is a tribotryum, with terminal dibotryum, and with pherophylls bearing lateral dibotrya. In P. flaccidus, the inflorescence is a pleiobotryum, with terminal subunit, and without pherophylls. Secondary inflorescences may occur in all species without regular pattern. Especially when grown in sites without a pronounced seasonality, the distinction between enrichment zone (part of the same inflorescence) and new inflorescences may be obscured. The main anatomical features supplying diagnostic and phylogenetic information are as follows: (a) in the elongated axis, the thickness of the epidermal cell walls and the cortex size; (b) in the bracts, the quantity of parenchyma cells (c) in the scapes, the shape and the presence of a pith tissue. Therefore, P. sect. Diphyomene can be divided in two groups; group A is represented by P. erectifolius, P. giganteus and P. polycladus, and group B is represented by P. flaccidus. The differentiation is based in both, inflorescence structure and anatomy. Group A presents a life cycle and anatomical features similar to species of Actinocephalus. Molecular trees also point that these two groups are closely related. However, inflorescence morphology and blooming sequence are different. Species of group B present an inflorescence structure and anatomical features shared with many genera and species in Eriocaulaceae. The available molecular and morphology based phylogenies still do not allow a precise allocation of the group in the bulk of basal species of Paepalanthus collocated in P. sect. Variabiles. The characters described and used here supply however important information towards this goal.     

An experimental study of the interaction between the dwarf palm (Chamaerops humilis) and its floral visitor Derelomus chamaeropsis throughout the life cycle of the weevil

Palm pollination can be quite diverse but has been poorly studied. This paper describes the life cycle of Derelomus chamaeropsis, a Coleoptera that inhabits the inflorescences of the Mediterranean dwarf palm Chamaerops humilis. D. chamaeropsis is specific to Chamaerops inflorescences, where it eats pollen and the rachis of inflorescences on pistillate plants. They usually lay eggs only on staminate inflorescences where larvae develop and bore into the inflorescence rachis. Larvae do not develop on pistillate inflorescences, except for cases with almost no fruit development. Pistillate plants can thus protect themselves from weevil predation. When visiting pistillate inflorescences, weevils can feed on rachis but usually do not find the brood place reward. Pollination is thus by deceit and weevils should be selected to avoid pistillate inflorescences. D. chamaeropsis pupate within the rachis of staminate inflorescences, but disperse before collecting pollen, thus staminate plants do not have an individual advantage in breeding weevils. However, because larvae develop on dead tissues, the costs of larval development are likely to be low for the plant. This study provides a new example of pollination symbiosis where the pollinator develops on the plant it pollinates, and illustrates how the evolutionary functioning of such relationships can be diverse.     

Hormone-regulated inflorescence induction and TFL1 expression in Arabidopsis callus in vitro

To study hormone-regulated inflorescence development, we established the in vitro regeneration system of Arabidopsis inflorescences in the presence of cytokinin and auxin. Media containing a combination of thidiazuron (TDZ) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) were used to induce callus formation. Higher frequencies of calli were obtained by using the inflorescence stems as explants. After transferring the calli to media containing a combination of zeatin and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), the inflorescences were induced from the calli. The morphology of regenerated inflorescences was similar to that of inflorescences in plants; however, flowers of regenerated inflorescences often lacked a few floral organs. Furthermore, TFL1, a gene involved in floral transition in Arabidopsis, was activated during the inflorescence induction. Our results suggest that the TFL1 gene plays an important role in hormone-regulated inflorescence formation.     

Diversity,systematics, and evolution of Cynodonteae inflorescences (Chloridoideae – Poaceae)

The species of the Cynodonteae tribe show great morphological diversity in their reproductive structures. Previous studies where inflorescences were comparatively analysed in the context of phylogeny have shown that although grass inflorescences seem to be excessively variable, there are certain aspects of inflorescences that store relevant information on the evolution and systematics in Poaceae. We have analysed and compared the inflorescence structures of species belonging to the Hilariinae, Monanthochloinae, Scleropogoninae, and Muhlenbergiinae subtribes. Considering the most relevant morphological characters, the most recurrent types of inflorescences in the lineage were determined by means of a principal coordinates analysis. To understand the evolution of inflorescence morphology, ancestral reconstructions of inflorescence characters were performed using the Bayesian inference method. The results obtained demonstrate that the processes of homogenization and truncation might account for the diversity observed in adult inflorescences. Five different types of inflorescences were identified out of 36 theoretical possibilities. Amongst these, inflorescence type 1 (panicle of spikelets, with a terminal spikelet, non-homogenized, and bearing third- or higher-order branches) was found to be the most frequent in the studied group. Ancestral reconstructions of morphological characters allowed us to suggest that the ancestor of the group might have had an inflorescence with the form of a raceme of spikelets, non-truncated and bearing first-order branches. More complex inflorescences bearing no terminal spikelets and having branches of higher order might have diverged this lineage.     

Two new species from Gabon show the need to reduce Commitheca to the synonymy of Pauridiantha (Rubiaceae, Pauridiantheae)

Two new Pauridiantha species (Pauridiantheae, Rubiaceae) from Gabon are described and illustrated. Pauridiantha pleiantha is characterized by a combination of entirely glabrous stems, stipules with a narrow base, and large inflorescences. Pauridiantha smetsiana is characterized by entirely glabrous stems, narrow, early deciduous stipules, leaves red-tinged when dry, and small inflorescences. The two new species, especially P. smetsiana , close the morphological gap between Commitheca and Pauridiantha in combining typical Commitheca characters, such as glabrous stems and a narrow stipular base, with Pauridiantha characters, such as eucamptodromous venation. A detailed morphological comparison (including ovary structure, seed morphology, exotesta anatomy, and pollen morphology) between the two genera is given; in conclusion, Commitheca is relegated to the synonymy of Pauridiantha . The necessary new specific combinations are provided.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 141 , 105–117.     

Inflorescence morphology of some South American Anacardiaceae and the possible phylogenetic trends

Barfod, A. 1988. Inflorescence morphology of some South American Anacardiaceae and the possible phylogenetic trends. - Nord. J. Bot. 8: 3–11. Copenhagen. ISSN 0107–055X.
The inflorescences of 15 native and one introduced species of South American Anacardiaceae belonging to the genera Anacardium, Loxopterygium, Mangifera, Mauria, Mosquitoxylon, Schinus, Spondias, Tapirira and Toxicodendron are described according to the terminology of Troll and coworkers. The tribal divisions in the Anacardiaceae are supported by the inflorescence morphology. Tribe Spondia-deae has paniculate inflorescences whereas tribe Anacardieae and tribe Rhoeae both have thyrsoids. Toxicodendron is exceptional for the tribe Rhoeae having axillary panicles. Thyrosids are hypothesized derived from panicles by a two step process including neoteny and enriching by cymose branching.     

The ecology of

Dactylanthus taylorii, a root parasite in the family Balanophoraceae, is New Zealand's only fully parasitic flowering plant. It grows attached to the roots of a wide range of hardwood trees and shrubs, often in fire-induced secondary forest on the margin of podocarp-hardwood forest. It is inconstantly dioecious with a skewed sex ratio of approximately 5:1 male to female inflorescences. The inflorescences, especially the males, contain a large quantity of nectar, up to 1.6 mi, and can produce 0.5 mi per day for 10 days. The morphology of the inflorescences, the quantity and chemistry of the nectar, time-lapse video monitoring and other evidence suggest that the Dactylanthus flowers are adapted for pollination by short-tailed bats. Ship rats are also effective pollinators but occasionally destroy the inflorescences. Kiore completely destroyed all the inflorescences observed on Little Barrier Island in 1992 and 1993, although some seed was found there in 1991. Dactylanthus plants have been successfully cultivated by sowing seeds close to the roots of broadleaf plants. Germination was very slow with the highest rates occurring nearly five years after the seed was sown. Further research is needed to clarify the role of fungal hyphae found inside the cells of a young plant and that of the sheath processes which may assist vegetative reproduction. Video monitoring provided evidence that the introduced possum, by browsing the inflorescences, threatens the survival of Dactylanthus at most North Island sites. Where possums were present, and the plants unprotected, almost all the inflorescences were browsed. Adult plants at the main study site had a half-life of only 8.5 years. Conservation management to ensure the survival of Dactylanthus will require protection of the plants from possums, rats and humans and adequate areas of secondary forest containing abundant host plants.     

Batesian mimicry in the non-rewarding orchid Disa pulchra, and its consequences for pollinator behaviour

The non-rewarding flowers of the South African orchid Disa pulchra are remarkably similar in morphology and spectral reflectance to the flowers of a sympatric nectar-producing iris, Watsonia lepida. Field observations indicated that both D. pulchra and W. lepida are pollinated by the long-tongued fly, Philoliche aethiopica (Tabanidae). The hypothesis that D. pulchra is a floral mimic of W. lepida was supported by choice experiments, which showed that, in terms of visits to inflorescences, flies do not discriminate between the two species. However, flies probed fewer flowers and spent less time on D. pulchra inflorescences than on Watsonia inflorescences. Thus the absence of nectar in the flowers of D. pulchra may reduce the risk of geitonogamy and pollen discounting. A breeding system experiment showed that fruits of D. pulchra that arise from self-pollination contain relatively few viable seeds compared with outcrossed fruits. These findings support the hypothesis that deception in orchids evolved under selection for more efficient mating systems.     

中国特有植物喜树的雌性不育形态解剖学研究

为阐明雌性不育与喜树（Camptotheca acuminata Decne.）开花期花序大量掉落的关系,本文采用数码体视显微镜及石蜡切片技术,对各个发育时期的喜树的花进行解剖学观察。喜树花均为两性花,雄蕊发育正常,雌蕊柱头有三种不同形态,即上位、中位和下位;柱头上位的小花,花柱伸长正常,柱头三裂,外翻,子房膨大,胚珠饱满,胚囊发育正常;柱头中位的小花,雌蕊选择性败育,柱头和花柱伸长缓慢,柱头外翻异常,局部子房细胞液泡化,胚珠退化,胚囊发育异常;柱头下位的小花,花柱退化,柱头不露,珠被细胞发育异常,大孢子母细胞未能减数分裂,胚珠萎缩,子房外形瘦长,室内中空。喜树雌性器官的发育与其柱头在子房上的表现形态有着严格的对应关系,雌性不育发生于大孢子母细胞减数分裂前后,而且雌性不育是喜树花序掉落的内部原因之一。     

香港四照花花芽分化的形态学观察

采用石蜡切片技术和形态观察对香港四照花(Dendrobenthamia hongkongensis(Hemsl.)Hutch.)花芽分化过程中花芽的形态变化进行观测,研究花芽外部形态与花芽分化之间的关系。结果显示,香港四照花的花芽分化开始于7月上旬,到9月底完成,形态分化过程可分为8个时期:未分化期、花序原基分化期、小花原基分化期、花萼原基分化期、花瓣原基分化期、雄蕊原基分化期、雌蕊原基分化期、雌蕊雄蕊形成期。与之对应的外部形态变化为:混合芽闭合,混合芽基部膨大,新叶展开露出圆形花序,花柄初现,花序膨大,花序表面小花突起,花柄伸长至4~6 mm,花序表面小花轮廓明显。香港四照花花芽外部形态能直观地反映出内部结构变化,可根据花芽外部形态特征推测花芽分化状况。研究结果可为香港四照花花期调控和栽培管理提供科学依据。     

The hormonal and genetic effects induced by an irradiation in small dozes at Tradescantia (a clone 02)

The purpose of the present work was studying the possible interrelation of the hormonal status of plants and size of the genetic effects induced by an irradiation in small dozes. The frequency of somatic mutations in strings Tradescantia (a clone 02) at an irradiation in dozes up to 28 cGy was estimated. Influence radiations in a range from background up to 28 cGy on the maintenance in inflorescences Tradescantia (a clone 02) the basic groups of plant hormones is investigated: abscisic acid, cytokinin, auxin and gibberellin A3. It is shown, that small dozes of an irradiation cause extremely radical changes of hormonal balance in fabrics of inflorescences Tradescantia. Received results are discussed with attraction of the data on influence phytohormones on kinetics a cellular cycle.     

Nonflowers near the base of extant angiosperms? Spatiotemporal arrangement of organs in reproductive units of Hydatellaceae and its bearing on the origin of the flower

Reproductive units (RUs) of Trithuria, the sole genus of the early-divergent angiosperm family Hydatellaceae, are compared with flowers of their close relatives in Cabombaceae (Nymphaeales). Trithuria RUs combine features of flowers and inflorescences. They differ from typical flowers in possessing an "inside-out" morphology, with carpels surrounding stamens; furthermore, carpels develop centrifugally, in contrast to centripetal or simultaneous development in typical flowers. Trithuria RUs could be interpreted as pseudanthia of two or more cymose partial inflorescences enclosed within an involucre, but the bractlike involucral phyllomes do not subtend partial inflorescences and hence collectively resemble a typical perianth. Teratological forms of T. submersa indicate a tendency to fasciation and demonstrate that the inside-out structure-the primary feature that separates RUs of Hydatellaceae from more orthodox angiosperm flowers-can be at least partially modified, thus producing a morphology that is closer to an orthodox flower. The Trithuria RU could be described as a "nonflower", i.e., a structure that contains typical angiosperm carpels and stamens but does not allow recognition of a typical angiosperm flower. The term nonflower could combine cases of secondary loss of flower identity and cases of a prefloral condition, similar to those that gave rise to the angiosperm flower. Nonhomology among some angiosperm flowers could be due to iterative shifts between nonfloral construction and flower/inflorescence organization of reproductive organs. Potential testing of these hypotheses using evolutionary-developmental genetics is explored using preliminary data from immunolocalization of the floral meristem identity gene LEAFY in T. submersa, which indicated protein expression at different hierarchical levels.     

STUDIES ON THE POLLINATION ECOLOGY OF TIPULARIA DISCOLOR (ORCHIDACEAE)

Tipularia discolor, a woodland orchid, flowers in mid-summer when reproductive activity is minimal within the herb synusia. Tipularia is insect-pollinated, and artificial crosses showed that seeds are produced after self-pollination, intra-inflorescence pollination, and outcrossing. The single nocturnal pollinator, Pseudaletia unipuncta (Noctuidae), located Tipularia populations within a day or two of anthesis. Pollinators were shown to be capable of utilizing portions of the inflorescences that contained the most nectar. After total nectar resources declined, pollinators were no longer active on the inflorescences, even though flowers and nectar were still available. The mode of pollinator activity seems to be closely related to floral morphology, although the moths are able, early in the flowering phenophase, to successfully obtain nectar without effecting any change in the reproductive status of flowers.     

Pollination mutualism between Alocasia macrorrhizos (Araceae) and two taxonomically undescribed Colocasiomyia species (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Sabah, Borneo

Two taxonomically undescribed Colocasiomyia species were discovered from inflorescences of Alocasia macrorrhizos in Kota Kinabalu City, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia. The aims of this study were to investigate the reproductive ecology of the flies and the plant, ascertain the importance of the flies as pollinators and examine the intimate association between flowering events and life history of the flies. We conducted sampling, observations and field pollination experiments. The flies were attracted by the odour of female‐phase inflorescences in the early morning on the first day of anthesis. They fed, mated and oviposited in the inflorescences for 1 day. On the second day, the flies, covered with pollen grains, left the male‐phase inflorescences for the next female‐phase inflorescences. The immature forms of both fly species hatched, developed and pupated within the infructescences without damaging the fruits, and developed adults emerged when the mature infructescences dehisced. The flowering events and fly behaviours were well synchronized. In field pollination experiments, inflorescences bagged with a fine mesh (insect exclusion) produced almost no fruits, whereas those bagged with a coarse mesh (bee exclusion) produced as many fruits as the open‐pollinated controls. These results indicate that these flies are the most efficient and specialised pollinators for their host, A. macrorrhizos. These flies, in return, depend on A. macrorrhizos for food and habitat through most of their life cycle. This study provides a deeper insight into the less recognised, highly intimate pollination mutualism between Araceae plants and Colocasiomyia flies.