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Transmitting tissue in the pistil of tobacco: Light and electron microscopic observations

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Summary

The pistil of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Wisconsin 38) is comprised of two fused carpels. The stigma is bilobed, papillose, and at maturity is covered with a sticky exudate. The style is solid. Both stigma and style are made up of four tissue elements—epidermis, cortex, vascular, and transmitting tissue. Transmitting tissue in this species is chlorophyllous. Transmitting cells have thin primary walls and are separated by massive deposits of denselystaining amorphous material. The cells contain numerous mitochondria, dictyosomes, RER, amyloplasts, ribosomes, as well as crystal-containing microbodies and myelin-like formations. Observations are discussed in relation to other reports dealing with similar cell populations.

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Abbreviations

A:

amyloplast

CO:

cortex

CCB:

crystal-containing bodies

D:

dictyosome

IS:

intercellular space

IM:

intercellular matrix

M:

mifochondrion

MY:

myelin formation

N:

nucleus

O:

ovary

P:

potysomes

PW:

primary wall

S:

starch grain

ST:

stigma

SV:

style

TT:

transmitting tissue

V:

vacuole

VB:

vascular bundle

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, B3H 4JI, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

    Jim Bell & Gary Hicks

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  1. Jim Bell
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  2. Gary Hicks
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Bell, J., Hicks, G. Transmitting tissue in the pistil of tobacco: Light and electron microscopic observations. Planta 131, 187–200 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00389993

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00389993

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