Right-Left Symmetry in Phyllotaxy and Imbrication of Flowers of Hibiscus furcartus L.

The phyllotaxy in Hibiscus furcartus is spiral. It is foundthat there is a general tendency for lateral branches to acquirethe same sense (right-handed or left-handed) of phyllotaxy asthe parent branch. H. furcartus has two kinds of flowers, right-handedflowers with clockwise imbricated petals and left-handed flowerswith anticlockwise imbricated petals. It is found that brancheswith right-handed phyllotaxy yield only left-handed flowersand those with left-handed phyllotaxy yield only right-handedflowers. Hibiscus furcartus L., phyllotaxy, imbrication of flowers