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Comparative structure of ovules and seeds inRafflesiaceae

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Abstract

The genera of theRafflesiaceae show a marked diversity in the structure of their ovules and seeds. Evolutionary trends are recognizable in ovule orientation and number of integuments. A change from anatropous ovules inApodantheae andMitrastemoideae towards incomplete anatropy inRafflesieae and orthotropy inCytineae occurs, next to a change from bitegmic ovules inApodantheae towards unitegmy with rudimentary outer integuments inRafflesieae andCytineae and full unitegmy inMitrastemoideae.—The differences in ovule structure are clearly reflected in the seeds. The seeds are essentially exotegmic, have very small embryos and an oily endosperm.—Seed structure strongly confirms the existing subfamilial classification and supports additional arguments for the generic status ofApodanthes. It does not support a separate status of the genusBerlinianche. InRafflesiaceae, seed micromorphology is only of limited use at the species level. As far as known seed dispersal is endo- or exozoochorous in all genera.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hugo de Vries Laboratory, University of Amsterdam, Kruislaan 318, NL-1098 SM, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    F. Bouman

  2. School of Biological Sciences, University of Kentucky, 40506, Lexington, KY, USA

    W. Meijer

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  1. F. Bouman
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  2. W. Meijer
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Bouman, F., Meijer, W. Comparative structure of ovules and seeds inRafflesiaceae . Pl Syst Evol 193, 187–212 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00983550

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00983550

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