Orbicules in Flowering Plants: A Phylogenetic Perspective on their Form and Function

Next to pollen, stamens of flowering plants often produce microstructures, called orbicules, lining the locules. Although the existence of orbicules has been known since 1865, their function still remains enigmatic. This paper surveys orbicule distribution throughout angiosperms, including +1,500 entries. We show that orbicules are found all over of flowering plants with an evolutionary trend towards orbicule absence in more derived clades. Orbicules are common in the ANITA-grade and 85 % of the monocots studied produce orbicules, with Orchidaceae, Commelinales and Zingiberales as notable exceptions. Within eudicots, asterids are most densely sampled with 61 % orbicule presence. Asteraceae and the majority of Lamiaceae lack orbicules. For 17 angiosperm orders orbicule distribution data are lacking entirely. We demonstrate that the hypothesized correlation of orbicule presence with non-amoeboid tapetum types holds true. The presence of orbicules is therefore a convenient proxy for tapetum characterization. The potential of orbicules as an a-cellular model system for patterned sporopollenin polymerization is discussed and suitable model plants for future functional orbicule-research are identified.