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Abstract Detail



Developmental and Structural Section

Nikolov, Lachezar [1], Endress, Peter [2], Sugumaran, M [3], Sasirat, Sawitree [4], Vessabutr, Suyanee [4], Kramer, Elena [5], Davis, Charles [6].

Floral apex and gynoecium development in the world’s largest flowers, Rafflesiaceae.

Rafflesiaceae is a family of holoparasitic endophytes exhibiting extreme modifications in the vegetative and reproductive body, including the production of the world’s largest flowers. Interpretations of their bizarre morphology are problematic and have resulted in a great confusion regarding both the evolutionary affinities of the group and the development of their remarkable flowers. We utilize comparative development to shed light on the evolution of the unique floral organization of Rafflesiaceae, focusing on two peculiar characteristics: the formation of the floral apex and the gynoecium. The floral apex in angiosperms is derived from the surface of the globular embryo, i.e., there is a contingency of the primary morphological surface. The floral apex in Rafflesiaceae is exposed after initial cell separation to form a secondary morphological surface. In angiosperms, similar contingency of primary morphological surface is observed during gynoecium development. However, this rule is again violated during the gynoecium formation in Rafflesiaceae. Although similar formation of the shoot apex has been observed in a few exceptional cases, the gynoecium condition has no parallels in angiosperms.

Broader Impacts:


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1 - Harvard University, 22 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
2 - UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH, BOT GARTEN & INST FUR SYS BOT, ZOLLIKERSTRASSE 107, ZURICH, CH-8008, Switzerland
3 - Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
4 - Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 7, Maerim, Chiang Mai, 50180, Thailand
5 - Harvard University, 16 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
6 - Harvard University, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University Herbaria, 22 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA

Keywords:
Rafflesiaceae
Floral development
Gynoecium development
secondary morphological surface.

Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: P
Location: Grand Salon A - D/Riverside Hilton
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2013
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PDS018
Abstract ID:877
Candidate for Awards:Katherine Esau Award,Developmental and Structural Section best poster


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