HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (7) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Stauffer, F. W. Articles by Endress, P. K. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Stauffer, F. W. Articles by Endress, P. K. Agricola Articles by Stauffer, F. W. Articles by Endress, P. K.

Morphology and development of the female flowers in Geonoma interrupta (Arecaceae)¹

Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008 Zurich, Switzerland

Morphology and development of the female flowers in Geonoma interrupta are described and compared with other taxa within Arecaceae. Inflorescences are pleiothyrses. Cincinni are immersed in pits and arranged according to the Fibonacci pattern along the rachillae. The gynoecium is composed of three free carpels in early stages and later becomes pseudomonomerous. Two carpels are sterile; they develop to different degrees and are commonly unequal in size. The fertile carpel contains a single, crassinucellate, anatropous ovule. Styles are formed in each carpel. The style of the fertile carpel becomes basifixed as the ovary enlarges. The stigmas remain free and plicate during development and expose unicellular papillae at anthesis. Pollen tube transmitting tracts and a compitum are present in the ventral slits of the stigmas and the postgenitally united styles during anthesis. A septal nectary is formed by incomplete union of the flanks of the carpels at the base of the gynoecium, and nectar is secreted from an epithelium. It is suggested that in Geonoma as a whole, the attraction of pollinators to female flowers is due to a combination of nectar reward and partial mimicry of male flowers.

Key Words: Arecaceae • development • flowers • Geonoma interrupta • Geonomeae • morphology

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Adam, S. Jouannic, F. Morcillo, J.-L. Verdeil, Y. Duval, and J. W. Tregear Determination of Flower Structure in Elaeis guineensis: Do Palms use the Same Homeotic Genes as Other Species? Ann. Bot., July 1, 2007; 100(1): 1 - 12. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Adam, S. Jouannic, J. Escoute, Y. Duval, J.-L. Verdeil, and J. W. Tregear Reproductive developmental complexity in the African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis, Arecaceae) Am. J. Botany, November 1, 2005; 92(11): 1836 - 1852. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J.-C. Caissard, A. Meekijjironenroj, S. Baudino, and M.-C. Anstett Localization of production and emission of pollinator attractant on whole leaves of Chamaerops humilis (Arecaceae) Am. J. Botany, August 1, 2004; 91(8): 1190 - 1199. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]