Experimentally Synthesized Plant Chimeras 3. Qualitative and Quantitative Characteristics of the Flowers of Interspecific Nicotiana Chimeras

The flowers from a series of interspecific periclinal chimerasbetween Nicotiana glauca Grahm. and N. tabacum Su/su L. werequantitatively and qualitatively compared with the flowers oftheir component species and the sexual hybrid. Results indicatethat the epidermal component of the chimeral flowers has thegreatest influence on flower morphology and that each histogenicarrangement results in a unique flower morphology. When comparedto interspecific hybrids a greater diversity of flower shapes,sizes and colours exists with periclinal chimeras, demonstratingthat the experimental synthesis of chimeras between morphologicallydistinct components can be an important source of new phenotypes. Nicotiana glauca Grahm., Nicotiana tabacum L., tobacco, chimeras, graft chimeras, floral morphology, flowers