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Floral structure in the Asian palm Eugeissona tristis Griff. (Arecaceae: Calamoideae), and description of a new nectary type in the family

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Abstract

The South-East Asian palm genus Eugeissona has an unusual flower structure, and it occupies a basal position in the early divergent palm subfamily Calamoideae. This article describes the floral structure of Eugeissona tristis, a palm that has been associated with an uncommon pollination syndrome in which non-flying mammals ingest large amounts of fermenting nectar produced by flowers. Our study focuses on the architecture of the nectaries responsible for this nectar production. The nectariferous tissues differentiate in four histological regions along the length of the gynoecium, and appear to be primarily associated with ventral slits of the carpels, corresponding to pollen tube transmitting tracts (PTTT). Nectariferous tissues also develop along the carpel septa—as is typical for the Monocotyledons—but to a much lesser extent. A comprehensive review of the nectariferous systems diversity in palms confirms that it represents an undescribed type of nectary unique to the family, and demonstrates a topographical shift when compared to the septal or labyrinthine types typical of other palms. The non-flying mammal pollination syndrome observed in Eugeissona tristis is described and compared with similar syndromes in other angiosperms.

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Acknowledgments

We are greatly indebted to Peter Endress (University of Zurich) for critical discussions on floral structure and nectariferous systems in angiosperms. André Piuz (Natural History Museum, Geneva) for support in SEM work. Kevin Nixon (Cornell University, Bailey Hortorium, United States) for kindly providing plant material. William Baker (K) for scientific advice and also for providing photos and critical literature. John Dransfield (Kew) for critical discussions and analysis of scientific data. Frank Wiens (formerly University of Bayreuth, Germany) kindly provided plant material and essential information on the reproductive biology of Eugeissona, and Eliana Schacher, University of Ulm, for preparing the first permanent slides of the material. Ulrich Maschwitz (Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main) kindly enabled the visiting of I. Silberbauer-Gottsberger in Ulu Gombak, Malaysia. Jennifer DeMuria is greatly thanked for interesting discussions on plant-animals relationships and also for correcting the English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire de Systématique Végétale et Biodiversité, Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève, Université de Genève, CP 60, Chambésy, 1292, Geneva, Switzerland

    Fred W. Stauffer & Silvia Siegert

  2. Botanischer Garten und Herbarium, Universität Ulm, Hans-Krebs-Weg, 89081, Ulm, Germany

    Ilse Silberbauer-Gottsberger & Gerhard Gottsberger

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  1. Fred W. Stauffer
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  2. Silvia Siegert
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  3. Ilse Silberbauer-Gottsberger
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  4. Gerhard Gottsberger
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Correspondence to Fred W. Stauffer.

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Handling editor: Louis P. Ronse De Craene.

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Stauffer, F.W., Siegert, S., Silberbauer-Gottsberger, I. et al. Floral structure in the Asian palm Eugeissona tristis Griff. (Arecaceae: Calamoideae), and description of a new nectary type in the family. Plant Syst Evol 302, 629–639 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-016-1292-8

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