New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts

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Development of the hypanthium and androecium in New Zealand Myrtoideae (Myrtaceae)

Stephen R. Belsham

David A. Orlovich

Department of Botany
University of Otago
P.O. Box 56
Dunedin, New Zealand

Abstract   Floral organogeny and stamen development are described for three species of New Zealand Myrtoideae not examined previously: Lophomyrtus bullata, L. obcordata, and Neomyrtus pedunculata. The flowers have numerous stamens, which are initiated on the flank of an invaginated floral apex. The stamen primordia are initiated relatively early after petal initiation and continue to initiate on the flank until all of the space is occupied. The hypanthium has a critical role in the development of antesepalous stamens and their direction of growth in the mature flower. The hypanthium also has a role in the final position of the petals and sepals in the mature flower. This work supports the current view that floral architecture in the Myrtaceae is the result of timing and duration of stamen initiation and the enlargement of the hypanthium. This is the first in-depth study of floral development in fleshy-fruited Myrtaceae.

Keywords   androecium; floral development; hypanthium; Lophomyrtus; Myrtaceae; Myrtoideae; Neomyrtus; stamen initiation

B02007 Received 28 January 2002; accepted 17 July 2002; published 28 November 2002
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 2002, Vol. 40: 687-695
0028-825X/02/4004-0687 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2002

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