AoB Plants最新文献

{"title":"Interannual differences in pollinator contributions to pollen transfer are mainly driven by changes in pollinator abundance.","authors":"Martin Freudenfeld, Jakub Štenc, Jiří Hadrava, Michael Mikát, Eva Matoušková, Klára Daňková, Tomáš Jor, Tadeáš Ryšan, Klára Koupilová, Jan Simon-Pražák, Tomáš Dvořák, Zdeněk Janovský","doi":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plaf009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>With the rising threat to insect pollinators and the upcoming pollinator crisis, it is important to know how pollinators contribute to pollen transfer. The contributions of individual pollinator taxa to pollen transfer depend both on their abundance and on how much pollen each individual can carry, with overall importance being a multiplication of these two values. Here, we quantified pollen load across a diverse spectrum of insect pollinator taxa and variation in their abundance over 11 years. We found that, while variation in pollen load was relatively small among pollinator taxa (compared to relatively high variability among individuals within each insect taxon), the visitation levels changed significantly over the years, resulting in a high degree of variation in pollinator contributions to pollen transfer of each insect taxon at the community level. Thus, we conclude that the overall importance of pollinator taxa for pollen transfer is determined further by their abundances than by their taxon-specific capability for carrying various pollen loads. As the insect abundances vary over time and may change dramatically from year to year, our results highlight the importance of diverse and species-rich pollinator communities, as the population decline of one pollinator can be buffered by an increase in another pollinator taxa.</p>","PeriodicalId":48955,"journal":{"name":"AoB Plants","volume":"17 2","pages":"plaf009"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12000867/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144052758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mixed mating system and intraspecific variation in lizard pollination of <i>Withania frutescens</i> (L.) Pauquy.","authors":"Raquel Muñoz-Gallego, Anna Traveset, Rafel Beltrán, Sandra Hervías-Parejo","doi":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf008","DOIUrl":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Plant reproductive strategies are particularly relevant on islands, where environmental constraints usually shape ecological dynamics. In this sense, the role of lizards (Lacertilia) as flower visitors and potential pollinators has been increasingly recognized. However, lizards may also consume plant reproductive tissues, potentially influenced by lizard intraspecific traits such as age and sex. This study aims to investigate, for the first time, the reproductive biology of the rare Mediterranean shrub <i>Withania frutescens</i> (L.) Pauquy (Solanaceae), and to assess the role of the Balearic lizard <i>Podarcis lilfordi</i> Günther (Lacertidae) as a potential pollinator on Na Redona islet (Cabrera archipelago, Balearic Islands). We analysed flower traits (corolla length, corolla diameter, stamen length, and pistil length) and performed flower bagging experiments with three pollination treatments (open pollination, autogamy, and cross hand-pollination) from 2018 to 2021 to unravel the plant reproductive system. Fruit set, the number of seeds per fruit, seed weight, size and viability were then assessed. Observational censuses were conducted to identify the main flower visitors and estimate their visitation frequency. Finally, we measured morphometric traits of lizards and explored potential intraspecific variation in floral use. The flowers of <i>W. frutescens</i> were morphologically hermaphroditic but functionally dioecious, spatially separated in unisexual individual plants. Open pollination and autogamy treatments resulted in similar fruit set, while cross hand-pollination produced the highest value. However, open pollination significantly increased seed weight and viability. Lizards were the most frequent floral visitors, accounting for 68% of visits, while insects made up the remaining 32%. Lizards played a dual role as both pollinators and florivores, with 45% of their visits potentially contributing to pollination and 55% involving florivory. Juveniles and females primarily conducted legitimate visits, whereas males -with a larger size- were more likely to consume the flowers. Our research describes, for the first time, a mixed reproductive system in <i>W. frutescens</i>, combining hermaphroditism with cryptic dioecy. We also provide a new example of a lizard-pollinated plant, highlighting the importance of vertebrates on island pollination as well as the influence of pollinator intraspecific variation on plant reproductive success. Further research on the reproductive and pollination systems of small, isolated plant populations is crucial, given their heightened vulnerability to disturbance and genetic inbreeding.</p>","PeriodicalId":48955,"journal":{"name":"AoB Plants","volume":"17 2","pages":"plaf008"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11954589/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143755431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bark anatomy of <i>Euphorbia tirucalli</i> (Euphorbiaceae): a unique way of bark dilatation on a stem succulent tree.","authors":"Kolwane Calphonia Shilaluke, Annah Moteetee, Alexei Oskolski","doi":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf007","DOIUrl":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The covering tissue structure is important for leafless stem succulents, influencing their photosynthetic activity. Usually, the epidermis on succulent stems persists for a long time, making the stem photosynthesize as long as possible. Its persistence implies maintaining the continuity of covering tissues during bark dilatation. In most plants, dilatation is performed by developing periderm(s) to replace the epidermis. The ways of bark dilatation with delay of periderm formation remain poorly known. In the present study, we examine the structure of the juvenile and mature bark of succulent pencil tree <i>Euphorbia tirucalli</i> (Euphorbiaceae) to clarify the ways of dilatation of its protective tissues. The bark structure of <i>Euphorbia tirucalli</i> at various developmental stages was examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. The epidermis is found not only on young stems of <i>E. tirucalli</i> but also on the bark of its thick branches and trunk, which are up to about 6 cm in diameter. On the young stems, the stomata are sunken in long vertical grooves. On the older stems, these grooves are stretched out due to dilatation, bringing stomata to the surface. Expansion cracks, i.e. broad vertical epidermal ruptures underlaid by tightly arranged tangential strands of cortical parenchyma, appear between the stomatal zones on dilated bark. The phellogen is initiated in the depth of the cortex beneath the epidermal ruptures long after their formation. The bark dilatation by forming epidermal ruptures with delayed initiation of periderm was found for the first time. Prolonged photosynthesis in the succulent stem is the main functional benefit of such a bark dilatation method. The initiation of periderm in the depth of the cortex has not been reported in stem succulents other than a few <i>Euphorbia</i> species.</p>","PeriodicalId":48955,"journal":{"name":"AoB Plants","volume":"17 2","pages":"plaf007"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11954586/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143755429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Laticifers are present in Acalyphoideae after all: new insights from leaf anatomy with implications for the systematics and evolution of Euphorbiaceae.","authors":"Clara Prandi Mouzella, Ana Angélica Sousa, Maria Beatriz Rossi Caruzo, Iris Montero-Muñoz, Renata Maria Strozi Alves Meira, Ricarda Riina","doi":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf006","DOIUrl":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Euphorbiaceae is among the main angiosperm families with a high number of laticiferous species. Although many of its species remain to be studied in terms of their anatomy, chemistry, and uses, there are some of recognized economic importance due to useful secondary compounds present in the latex. Acalyphoideae, one of the three major subfamilies, has traditionally been distinguished from the rest of Euphorbiaceae by the absence of latex and laticifers. To test this long-standing assumption, we anatomically analysed 40 species in 10 genera, representing six of the nine subclades of Acalyphoideae s.s., to examine the presence of laticifers using leaf blade and petiole sections. Laticifers were observed in all the studied species and consisted of multinucleate, elongated cells with dense cytoplasm. They were articulated and branched in <i>Acalypha</i>, <i>Bia</i>, and <i>Dalechampia</i>; this was further confirmed by ontogenetic analyses in <i>Acalypha accedens</i>, <i>A. brasiliensis</i>, and <i>A. poiretii</i>. Histochemical tests revealed lipids, proteins, mucilage, and starch in laticifers. Our results demonstrate that laticifers are present and common in Acalyphoideae and thus more widespread in Euphorbiaceae than previously known. The scarcity of detailed anatomical studies, and the often imperceptible latex exudation of most Acalyphoideae, are probably the main reasons that have misled field botanists and systematists in the past.</p>","PeriodicalId":48955,"journal":{"name":"AoB Plants","volume":"17 2","pages":"plaf006"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11954595/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143755430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Localized chilling of crowns promotes floral bud differentiation in strawberry transplants in a closed transplant production system.","authors":"Jaewook Shin, Meiyan Cui, Hyein Lee, Byungkwan Lee, Jeesang Myung, Haeyoung Na, Changhoo Chun","doi":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf004","DOIUrl":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A stable supply of transplants with floral buds is required to improve the initial yield of the June-bearing cultivars of strawberry (<i>Fragaria</i> × <i>ananassa</i> Duch.). A closed transplant production system (CTPS) enables year-round production to meet the demands for the year-round production of strawberries in plant factories. In this study, we evaluated the performance of a novel method involving the localized chilling of strawberry crowns using silicone tubes containing circulated chilled water at different temperatures (10, 15, or 20°C) at the nighttime and different chilling regimes (daytime, nighttime, or entire day) under high air temperature conditions in a CTPS in terms of floral bud differentiation. We observed that 4 weeks of localized chilling at 10 or 15^oC during the nighttime under the air temperature of 25/20°C (photo-/dark periods) and a photoperiod of 10 h promoted floral bud differentiation, whereas 6 weeks of localized chilling under the same conditions inhibited differentiation. Moreover, 4 weeks of localized chilling at 5^oC during the daytime or entire day under the elevated air temperatures of 28/21°C and an extended photoperiod of 14 h promoted floral bud differentiation, and 6 weeks of localized chilling during the entire day under the same conditions further promoted bud differentiation compared with that in the control. Plant growth was generally unaffected by the localized chilling of the crowns. The results indicate that to cope with the impacts of elevated air temperature and photoperiod conditions, the continuous localized chilling of crowns at 5^oC during the entire day for 6 weeks must be used to achieve optimal bud differentiation. These findings suggest the effectiveness of the localized chilling of the crowns for floral bud differentiation in strawberry in CTPSs, without disrupting the high-air temperature and long-day conditions required for vegetative growth.</p>","PeriodicalId":48955,"journal":{"name":"AoB Plants","volume":"17 2","pages":"plaf004"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11799775/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143383582","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acclimation of functional traits leads to biomass increases in leafy green species grown in aquaponics.","authors":"Victoria Nicholes, Malik Khan, Nicholas Lemon, Peter Vila, Courtney Campany","doi":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf005","DOIUrl":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As human population size continues to increase and climate change effects worsen, future food security has become a primary concern for agricultural industries worldwide. Yields of traditional agricultural methods are commonly limited by water and nutrient availability and many crop yields are predicted to decline. Alternative farming practices like aquaponics, which can alleviate these negative yield pressures, may become critical to reaching food production targets. Aquaponics approaches involve the cyclic joint production of fish and hydroponic plants where the fish efflux provides nutrients to plants that then purify the water to be recycled to the fish tanks. In this study, we investigated the acclimation of physiology and functional traits of plants grown in aquaponics versus soil for three leafy green species. We compared gas exchange, stomatal anatomy, water-use efficiency, and foliar chemistry on newly formed leaves across weekly measurements. Increased photosynthetic rate, driven by higher stomatal conductance and increases in tissue nitrogen, led to higher biomass production in aquaponics for all species. Aquaponics plants adjusted stomatal behavior and to a lesser degree stomatal anatomy to become less water-use efficient than plants grown in soil. Collectively, our findings demonstrate the ability of plants to acclimate quickly to aquaponics growing systems that largely remove water and nutrient limitations to plant growth. The increased biomass production of broccoli, pak choi, and salanova by 185%, 116%, and 362% in aquaponics compared to soil-grown plants demonstrates the potential of small-scale aquaponics systems as an efficient and sustainable alternative farming practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":48955,"journal":{"name":"AoB Plants","volume":"17 2","pages":"plaf005"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11851069/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143505257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tracking pollen tube and ovule development <i>in vivo</i> reveals rapid responses to pollination in <i>Brassica napus</i>.","authors":"Catherine Parry, Colin Turnbull, Richard J Gill","doi":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf002","DOIUrl":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pollination and subsequent fertilization in most angiosperms are precursors of seed and fruit development. Thus, understanding the developmental processes can improve the management of plant reproductive success and food security. Indeed, the window between ovule fertilization and seed development is crucial for the accumulation of metabolites which determines ultimate seed quality and yield. Establishing detailed temporal maps of development to describe pollination to early seed development is therefore extremely valuable to provide context for molecular studies, plant breeding, and to refine crop management strategies for optimal seed quality. Here, we characterize aspects of post-pollination responses in the globally important crop plant <i>Brassica napus</i> (oilseed rape, canola) with a high-resolution time series of microscope images of the floral organs during the first 48 h post pollination. We demonstrate the rapid response to pollination in <i>B. napus</i> (c.v. Westar), with pollen tubes germinating and traversing the style within just 4 h. We also describe markers of early seed formation in response to fertilization in the synchronous development of ovule area and stigma length. Our results provide a series of temporal benchmarks for post-pollination floral morphology in <i>B. napus</i>, representing valuable reference points for studying and tracking pollination responses and early seed development.</p>","PeriodicalId":48955,"journal":{"name":"AoB Plants","volume":"17 2","pages":"plaf002"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11880539/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143568640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ericaceous dwarf shrubs in drained forested peatlands: distribution, dynamics, and key factors in a restoration experiment.","authors":"Triin Tekko, Asko Lõhmus","doi":"10.1093/aobpla/plaf003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plaf003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ericaceous dwarf shrubs comprise a key component of the vegetation in several types of northern peatlands. Widespread draining of the peatlands is known to favour forest species (such as <i>Vaccinium myrtillus</i> and <i>Vaccinium vitis-idaea</i>) over mire species (such as <i>Andromeda polifolia</i> and <i>Vaccinium oxycoccos</i>), but it is unclear to what extent such assemblage shifts should form a target for ecological restoration. In this paper, we analyse the performance of eight co-occurring dwarf shrub species in a large-scale ecological restoration experiment in Scots pine-dominated wetlands that had been drained over 40 years ago in Estonia. We address two related questions: (1) how major ecosystem-change-related factors and within-assemblage interactions affect the 1-m² scale presence of each species in the drained landscape, and (2) to what extent their cover responses to ditch blocking and partial harvest over 6 years reveal a reversal of the drainage-caused succession. We explored those factors and the treatment effects using general linear mixed modelling of the species' presence and cover. At least four species were responding negatively to drainage, predominantly along with the stand successional stage. However, the results infer that most species were probably enhanced in the early post-drainage phase. The presence of each species was independently enhanced by the presence of other species; the only antagonistic relationship found was between <i>V. myrtillus</i> and <i>V. uliginosum</i>. Ditch blocking had a clear effect only on <i>V. oxycoccos</i>, which increased along with <i>Sphagnum</i> moss cover. In several species, we found a temporary decline in some treatments. Overall, the ericaceous shrub cover appeared rather resistant to the fundamental environmental changes investigated and it may serve as a relatively stable functional component both in natural and anthropogenic peatland transitions. In addition to clone longevity, the facilitative mechanisms suggested by co-occurrence patterns may play a role in this and deserve further study.</p>","PeriodicalId":48955,"journal":{"name":"AoB Plants","volume":"17 2","pages":"plaf003"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11829077/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143442546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pollination effectiveness affects the level of generalisation of a plant species with phenotypically plastic flowers.","authors":"José M Gómez, Luis Navarro, Adela González-Megías, Cristina Armas, Francisco Perfectti, Ángel Caravantes, Raquel Sánchez","doi":"10.1093/aobpla/plae065","DOIUrl":"10.1093/aobpla/plae065","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The pollination specialisation/generalisation continuum is a basic concept in pollination biology, usually defined as the number of species or functional groups of pollinators visiting a plant species. The level of specialisation can be affected by the relative abundance of pollinators on flowers, the among-pollinator variation in per-visit efficiency and the intra-population variation in floral traits. Here, we explore how these components influence the degree of generalisation of a Mediterranean herb, <i>Moricandia arvensis</i> (Brassicaceae). <i>Moricandia arvensis</i> shows a remarkable intra-individual floral polyphenism, with large cross-shaped lilac flowers during spring and small rounded white flowers during summer. We quantified the pollinator assemblages, grouped into functional groups, of six plant populations from SE Spain during spring and summer, experimentally tested their preference for spring and summer floral morphs, their per-visit efficiency, and their effectiveness during each flowering period, estimated as their contribution to plant's fitness. The level of generalisation differed between floral morphs: spring flowers are visited mainly by large long-tongued bees, while summer flowers are visited by a diverse set including small short-tongued bees, large long-tongued bees, large butterflies and beeflies. The functional groups of pollinators differed in their preferences for floral morphs, with large long-tongued bees, small short-tongued bees and beeflies preferring spring floral morphs, whereas flies and butterflies preferred summer floral morphs. Pollinator per-visit efficiency also varied among functional groups. Bees and butterflies produced many seeds per visit, while beetles, hoverflies and flies produced few or no seeds per visit. By combining floral visits with per-visit efficiency (effectiveness), the spring pollinator assemblage became significantly more specialised and the summer pollinator assemblage significantly more generalised. Our study suggests that, although traditionally neglected in pollination studies, examining pollinator effectiveness is crucial to accurately characterise generalisation-specialisation gradients, rigorously categorising pollination niches and correctly describing the architecture of plant-pollinator interactions.</p>","PeriodicalId":48955,"journal":{"name":"AoB Plants","volume":"17 3","pages":"plae065"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12190806/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144508953","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interconnected idioblasts in <i>Peltaea polymorpha</i>: a novel component of the mucilage-secretory apparatus in Malvaceae.","authors":"Tatiane Maria Rodrigues, Aline Rodrigues de Almeida, Juan de Nicolai, Igor Soares Dos Santos, Silvia Rodrigues Machado","doi":"10.1093/aobpla/plae063","DOIUrl":"10.1093/aobpla/plae063","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The anatomical and cytological characteristics of the mucilage-secretory system have been widely studied in Malvaceae. However, conflicting information regarding the morphological nature of secretory structures exists, and some remain poorly understood. In this sense, some secretory structures in Malvaceae are not characterized as typical isolated idioblasts, canals, or cavities. Here, we describe a novel component of the mucilage-secretory apparatus in the Malvaceae family. Samples of the shoot apex, mature stem and fully expanded leaves were obtained from adult <i>Peltaea polymorpha,</i> which grow in the Cerrado (Brazilian savanna). The samples were processed using standard light and transmission electron microscopy methods. Mucilage cells occurred in the cortex and pith of petioles and stems, and in the midrib of leaves. These cells originate early in the stem apex from successive divisions of cells of the fundamental meristem, resulting in a row of interconnected secretory cells enveloped by a sheath of parenchyma cells devoid of secretory activity. Mucilage is stored in both protoplast and apoplast. In the same row, some cells filled with mucilage become very swollen and compress the neighbouring idioblasts that become flattened. This phenomenon results in a sandwich panel structure consisting of the swollen transversal walls of adjacent cells. As the differentiation progresses, the transversal walls of the rowed mucilage cells became very swollen, multilayered, and porous. Cytoplasmic strands cross such transversal walls connecting rowed cells. Mucilage-secreting cells in <i>P. polymorpha</i> are interconnected idioblasts and represent a novel component of the mucilage-secretory apparatus in Malvaceae. These findings open new avenues for understanding the structure and dynamics of mucilage-secreting cells from a functional perspective.</p>","PeriodicalId":48955,"journal":{"name":"AoB Plants","volume":"17 1","pages":"plae063"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2025-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11773387/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143060971","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}