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Embryology of some flowers of the Gardenieae complex (Rubiaceae)

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Abstract

Different breeding systems occur in the Gardenieae complex (Rubiaceae), from homoecy to dioecy which is present in two tribes, Gardenieae and Cordiereae. As part of a broad project focused on the reproductive anatomy of the species of these two tribes, we described the structural and functional differences of the gynoecium in the different floral morphs and determined the degree of gynoecium development in the staminate flowers. We conducted a comparative anatomical study focused on the gynoecium of one homoecious species (Tocoyena formosa, with perfect flowers) and three dioecious species (Genipa americana, Randia calycina, and Randia heteromera) of Gardenieae and one dioecious species (Cordiera concolor) of Cordiereae. The dioecious species have flowers that are morphologically perfect and functionally unisexual. Flowers in successive stages of development were collected, photographed, and fixed in formalin-acetic acid-alcohol. The material was examined using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The anatomy of the ovary, style, and stigma was analyzed, and megasporogenesis and megagametogenesis were studied. The results achieved in this study, together with previously obtained data of the androecium, show that dioecy originated from homoecy in these species, since the unisexual flowers conserve some characteristics of the perfect flowers. In addition, a new type of ovule for the Rubiaceae family is described.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Javier Florentín, Mariela Núñez Florentín, Victor Dávalos, and Walter Medina for providing fixed materials used in this work. Also we thank Rosemary Scoffield for critically reading the English manuscript.

Funding

The first author thanks CONICET by its doctoral grant. This work was funded by PICTO-UNNE 0199/2011, PICT 2016–3517, and CONICET PIP-112–2011-0100906 grants.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Sargento Cabral 2131, CC 209, 3400, Corrientes, Argentina

    Marina D. Judkevich, Roberto M. Salas & Ana M. Gonzalez

  2. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Y Naturales Y Agrimensura, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Sargento Cabral 2131, CC 209, 3400, Corrientes, Argentina

    Roberto M. Salas

  3. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Sargento Cabral 2131, CC 209, 3400, Corrientes, Argentina

    Ana M. Gonzalez

Authors
  1. Marina D. Judkevich
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  2. Roberto M. Salas
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Contributions

RMS provided the plant material and supplied taxonomic data of the species and the tribe. MDJ processed the plant material to make the histological preparations, took the microscopy photos, and prepared the figures. MDJ and AMG did the anatomical interpretations. MDJ and AMG contributed in the discussions and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marina D. Judkevich.

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Appendix

Appendix

List of the analyzed species of Gardenieae and their voucher information

Cordiera concolor (Cham.) Kuntze. Argentina. Misiones, San Ignacio, Teyú Cuaré, 01 Mar 2013, Judkevich MD & Salas RM 11 (FPF). Idem, 23 Apr 2016, Judkevich MD & Salas 73 (FSF). Idem, 23 Apr 2016, Judkevich MD & Salas 74 (FPF).

Genipa americana L. Argentina. Formosa, Guaycolec, Estancia “Bella Mar”, 11 Sep 2014, Judkevich MD & Salas RM 53 (FPF). Idem, Estancia Miriquiná, 28 Jan 2015, Judkevich MD & Salas RM 58 (FPF). Idem, Judkevich MD & Salas RM 59 (FPF). Idem, 22 Dic 2015, Judkevich MD et al. 73 (FPF). Idem, Reserva Biológica Guaycolec, 16 Nov 2016, Judkevich MD et al., 84 (FPF). Paraguay. Asunción, Campus UMA, 24 Nov 2016, Judkevich MD et al. 85 (FSF).

Randia calycina Cham. Argentina. Formosa, Guaycolec, Estancia “Bella Mar”, 10 Sep 2014, Judkevich MD & Salas RM 49 (FPF). Idem, Judkevich MD & Salas RM 52 (FSF). Idem, “Monte Lindo Chico”, 11 Sep 2014, Judkevich MD & Salas RM 54 (FPF). Chaco, Primero de Mayo, Colonia Benitez, 28 Nov 2014, Judkevich MD & Salas RM 57 (FPF). Idem, 01 Oct 2015, Judkevich MD & Salas RM 70 (FPF). Idem, 01 Oct 2015, Judkevich MD & Salas RM 71 (FPF). Idem, 01 Oct 2015, Judkevich MD & Salas RM 72 (FPF).

Randia heteromera. Argentina. Corrientes, Riachuelo, 17 Sep 2014, Judkevich MD & Salas RM 55 (FSF). Idem, Judkevich MD & Salas RM 56 (FPF). Idem, Puente Pexoa, 14 Sep 2016, Judkevich MD et al. 75 (FSF). Idem, 14 Sep 2016, Judkevich MD et al. 77 (FPF). San Cosme, Las Lomas, Ensenada Grande, 29 Aug 2015, Judkevich MD et al. 61 (FSF). Idem, Judkevich MD et al. 62 (FSF). Dpto: Dan Miguel, Estancia “Tranquita”, 11 Sep 2015, Judkevich MD et al. 63 (FPF). Idem, 11 Sep 2015, Judkevich MD et al. 64 (FSF). Idem, 11 Sep 2015, Judkevich MD et al. 65 (FPF). Idem, Estancia “Santa Julia”, 11 Sep 2015, Judkevich MD et al. 66 (FSF). Idem, 11 Sep 2015, Judkevich MD et al. 67 (FPF). Idem, 11 Sep 2015, Judkevich MD et al. 68 (FSF).

Tocoyena formosa (Cham. & Schltdl.) K. Schum. Paraguay. Asunción, Cerro Tobatí, 25 Nov 2016, MM et al. 187 (PF). Idem, 25 Nov 2016, MM et al. 188 (PF).

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Judkevich, M.D., Salas, R.M. & Gonzalez, A.M. Embryology of some flowers of the Gardenieae complex (Rubiaceae). Protoplasma 259, 1233–1254 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-022-01734-5

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