Floral anatomy and micromorphology of Hyacinthoides italica (L.) Rothm. A case of complete stachyospory in Asparagaceæ

Abstract

Floral vasculature and gynoecium architecture were studied in Hyacinthoides italica (L.) Rothm. Each locule shelters two ovules inserted basally and surprisingly supplied by axis bundles only, while lateral bundles of the carpels branch out into strands along the epidermises of septal nectaries. We brought then to the fore an unexpected trade-off between the supply of upper ovules in H. non-scripta and that of secretory tissues in the studied species. Moreover, a new pattern of septal nectary is described, with outer and inner cavities.