Skip to main content
Log in

Structural studies of pollen tube growth in the pistil ofStrelitzia reginae

  • Published:
Protoplasma Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

For this work we have used various microscopical methods (LM, SEM, and TEM) to study pollen tube growth and interaction with the transmitting tisse inStrelitzia reginae, which has an open style. By the use of SEM it was possible to trace the exact route of the pollen tubes in the ovary of this plant and demonstrate that they exclusively follow the outlines of the transmitting tissue. The average rate of pollen tube growth through the style was 1.8 mm h−1. The most significant effect of the pollination was a thickening of the distal wall of the subepithelial cells in the style. A secretion covers the stigma and the ovarian transmitting tissue and fills the stylar canal. This exudate contains lipids, polysaccharides, and proteins.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Crang RE (1969) Pollination effects on style degradation inLilium philippinense. Trans Am Microsc Soc 88: 294–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickinson HG, Moriarty J, Lawson J (1982) Pollen-pistil interaction inLilium longiflorum: the role of the pistil in controlling pollen tube growth following cross- and self-pollinations. Proc R Soc Lond B 215: 45–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Dumas C, Knox RB, McConchie CA, Russell SD (1984) Emerging physiological concepts in fertilization. What's New Plant Physiol 15: 17–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Heslop-Harrison J (1979) Aspects of the structure, cytochemistry, and germination of the pollen of rye (Secale cereale L.). Ann Bot 44: Suppl 1, 1–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen WA (1962) Botanical histochemistry. W. H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco-London

    Google Scholar 

  • Knox RB (1984) Pollen-pistil interactions. In: Cellular interactions.Linskens HF, Heslop-Harrison J (eds) Encyclopedia of plant physiology, new series, Vol 17. Springer, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York-Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • Kronestedt E,Walles B (1986) Anatomy of theStrelitzia reginae flower. Nord J Bot (in press)

  • Labarca C, Kroh M, Loewus F (1970) The composition of stigmatic exudate fromLilium longiflorum. Plant Physiol 46: 150–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Loewus F, Labarca C (1973) Pistil secretion product and pollen tube wall formation. In:Loewus F (ed) Biogenesis of plant wall polysaccharides. Academic Press, New York-London, pp 175–193

    Google Scholar 

  • Miki-Hirosige H (1964) Tropism of pollen tubes to the pistils. In:Linskens HF (ed) Pollen physiology and fertilization. North Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam, pp 152–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Nebel BR (1931) Lacmoid-Martius-yellow for staining pollen-tubes in the style. Stain Techn 6: 27–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Owens S, McGrath S, Fraser MA, Fox LR (1984) The anatomy, histochemistry and ultrastructure of stigmas and styles inCommelinaceae. Ann Bot 54: 591–603

    Google Scholar 

  • Pargney JC (1982) Étude ultrastructural des tubes polliniques angiospermiens: application de quelques techniques cytochimiques. Can J Bot 60: 1167–1176

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosen WG (1961) Studies on pollen-tube chemotropism. Am J Bot 48: 889–895

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1964) Chemotropism and fine structure of pollen tubes. In:Linskens HF (ed) Pollen physiology and fertilization. North Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam, pp 159–169

    Google Scholar 

  • — (1971) Pollen-pistil interactions inLilium. In:Heslop-Harrison J (ed) Pollen: development and physiology. Butterworths, London, pp 239–254

    Google Scholar 

  • —,Thomas HR (1970) Secretory cells of lily pistils. I. Fine structure and function. Am J Bot 57: 1108–1114

    Google Scholar 

  • Sievers A, Schnepf E (1981) Morphogenesis and polarity of tubular cells with tip growth. In:Kiermayer O (ed) Cell morphogenesis in plants. Cell biology monographs, Vol 8, Springer, Wien-New York, pp 265–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanley RG (1971) Pollen chemistry and tube growth. In:Heslop-Harrison J (ed) Pollen: development and physiology. Butterworths, London, pp 131–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilton VR, Wilcox LW, Palmer RG, Albertsen MC (1984) Stigma, style, and obturator of soybean,Glycine max (L.) Merr. (Leguminosae) and their function in the reproductive process. Am J Bot 71: 676–686

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Woude WJ, Morré DJ (1967) Endoplasmic reticulum-dictyosome-secretory vesicle associations in pollen tubes ofLilium longiflorum Thunb. Proc Indiana Acad Sci 77: 164–170

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Went JL, Willemse MTM, (1984) Fertilization. In:Johri BM (ed) Embryology of angiosperms. Springer, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York, pp 273–317

    Google Scholar 

  • Welk SrM, Millington WF (1964) Factors determining the pathway of the pollen tube inLilium pistils. Am J Bot 51: part 2, 663

    Google Scholar 

  • — —,Rosen WG (1965) Chemotropic activity and the pathway of the pollen tube in lily. Am J Bot 52: 774–781

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilms HJ (1985) Behaviour of spinach sperm cells in pollen tubes prior to fertilization. In:Willemse MTM,van Went JL (eds) Sexual reproduction in seed plants, ferns and mosses. Proc 8th int symp on sexual reproduction in seed plants, ferns and mosses. 20–24 Aug 1984. Pudoc, Wageningen

  • Yamada Y (1965) Studies on the histological and cytological changes in the tissues of pistil after pollination. Jpn J Bot 19: 69–82

    Google Scholar 

  • —, (1974) An electron microscopic study of the secretion zone in the canal cell ofLilium longiflorum. Science Report of the Faculty of Education, Gunma University 23: 87–103

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kronestedt, E., Walles, B. & Alkemar, I. Structural studies of pollen tube growth in the pistil ofStrelitzia reginae . Protoplasma 131, 224–232 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01282985

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01282985

Keywords

Navigation