Anatomy of the floral nectaries of 9 species from subf. Pomoideae (Rosaceae)

• Main Authors: Elżbieta Weryszko-Chmielewska, Agata Konarska
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Polish Botanical Society 2013-12-01
• Series: Acta Agrobotanica
• Subjects: nectaries; anatomy; subf. Pomoideae; Rosaceae
• Online Access: https://pbsociety.org.pl/journals/index.php/aa/article/view/2418

The nectaries anatomical features of nine species of Pomoideae subfamily Aronia melanocarpa Ell., Cotoneaster horizontalis Decne, C. praecox Vilm.-Andr., C. lucida Schlecht., Crataegus monogyna Jacq., C. coccinea L., C. crus-galli L., Sorbus aucuparia L., Sorbus intermedia Pers. were compared. The flower longitudinal sections by means of vibratome and semithin slides by use of ultramicrotome were made. The thickness of nectary epidermis, glandular layer and the structure of subglandular layer as well as the n,n of vascular bundles were studied. It was stated that the height of epidermis cells and the thickness of their wall were approximate in the most investigated taxons. Stomata occurred in the nectaries of all species. They were located on a level with the epidermis cells in Aronia and Sorbus genera, in small hollows in Cotoneaster and considerably below the level of epidermis cells in Crataegus. The thickness of glandular layer was approximate for each genera. Sorbus intermedia and the species of Crataegus genus wer distinguishable by the thickest nectaries. The concentration of brachysclereids occurred in subglandular tissue of Crataegus crus-galli and of Sorbus both species. Vascular bundles, stocking the nectary, mostly consisted of phloem and xylem, but in Aronia, Cotoneaster praecox and C. lucida only phloem was noticed. The dependence between thickness of glandular layer, studied anatomical features and the volume of secreted nectar is discussed.