The Floral Nectary of Tropaeolum majus L.--The Nature of the Secretory Cells and the Manner of Nectar Secretion

The floral nectary of Tropaeolun majus L. was studied with theaid of a microscope with transmitting and incident light, atransmission electron microscope and a scanning electron microscope.The Gomori method was used for the localization of acid phosphatase.As a result of this investigation the previously accepted viewthat nectar in this plant is secreted only from the hair tipsof the inner epidermis of the calyx spur was found to be inaccurate.The present studies showed that the parenchyma cells locatedbetween the inner epidermis and the region of the vascular bundlesof the lowest third of the spur, are the main nectar-secretingelements of the nectary. These secretory cells release the nectarsolution into intercellular spaces leading to modified stomata,through which it is exuded into the spur cavity. The modifiedstomata occur in the lowest portion of the spur only. At thestage of secretion small droplets of liquid of high viscositywere observed on the epidermal hairs. These droplets presumablycontain polysaccharides and a certain amount of sugar.