Abstract
The fruit, seed, caruncle and seedling characters of Jatropha species are reviewed. The capsule shape and size varies considerably with ridges and furrows of various depths in different species while in some species the fruits are glabtous. The pericarp characters under light and scanning electron microscope are also described for nine species. The seed and caruncle size and shape also show considerable variation from species to species. SEM studies of these structures in the species studied showed diversity in structure and hence, are of taxonomic value. The seed shape as also the seed colour and testa are variously ornamented with mottling pattern, with vertical stripes often with a median ridge on the ventral side. Testa (spermoderm) microcharacters of some Indian Jatropha species exhibit various patterns that are taxonomically useful. Seedling characters in some species studied are of two types with three or five major cotyledon veins. The role of caruncle in seed dispersal (mymechory) is also discussed.
Keywords
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Anez LMM, Coelho MFB, Alburquerque MCF, Dombroski JLD (2005) Fruit and seedling morphology of Jatropha elliptica muell. Arg Revista Brasil Bot 28:132–141
Bahadur B, Goverdhan S (1996a) Seed and caruncle characters in Jatropha L. In: Pokle DS, Naik VN (eds) Proceedings of Indian association for angiosperm taxonomy. Akshar Mudranalaya, Aurangabad, pp 7–10
Bahadur B, Goverdhan S (1996b) Seedling characters of Jatropha species. J Swamy Bot Cl 14:45–47
Bahadur B, Rao MM (1980) Seedling handedness in fabaceae. Proc Indian Acad Sci 90:231–236
Bahadur B, Reddy MM, Swamy NR, Narsaiah G (1983a) Seedling handedness in gramineae. Proc Indian Acad Sci 92:279–284
Bahadur B, Farooqui SM, Bhaskar KV (1983b) Light and scanning electron microscopic study of seeds I Nigella (Ranunculaceae). Proc Indian Acad Sci 92:429–435
Bahadur B, Venkateshwarlu K, Swamy NR (1989) SEM studies of nine species of Petunia Juss. (Solanaceeae). Phytomorphology 39:121–128
Bahadur B, Goverdhan S, Chamundeswari E (1998) Comparative SEM studies of pericarp in Jatropha species. J Swamy Bot Cl 15:85–87
Bhagat RB, Kulkarni DK (2006) A plant for bioenergy Dalz. & Gibbs. Jatropha Newslett 1–6
Burger HZND (1972) Seedlings of some tropical trees and shrubs mainly of South-Asia (translated from Dutch by Burger G and Pestings B). Centre for agric publ. & documentation, Wageningen
Casas JF, Salas MM (2008) Jatropherum notulae (Euphorbiaceae). Fontqueria 55:471–480
Corner EJH (1976) The seeds of dicotyledons, vol I and II. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Crow LW (1963) In: Darlington CD, Bradshaw AD (eds) Seedling characters in teaching genetics in schools and university. Oliver & Boyd, London, pp 90–93
Culver DC, Beattie AJ (1978) Myremechory in Viola; dynamics of seed ant interactions in some West Virginia species. J Ecol 66:53–72
Dehgan B (1980) Applications of epidermal morphology to taxonomic delimitations in the genus Jatropha L. (Euphorbiaceae). Bot J Linn Soc 80:257–278
Dehgan B (1982) Comparative anatomy of the petiole and intrageneric relationships in Jatropha (Euphorbiaceae). Amer J Bot 69:1283–1305
Dehgan B, Craig MC (1978) Types of laticifers and crystals in Jatropha and their taxonomic implications. Amer J Bot 65:345–347
Dehgan B, Schutzman B (1994) Contributions towards a monograph neotropical Jatropha L. Bot J Linn Soc 111:139–154
Dehgan B, Webster GL (1979) Morphology and infrageneric relationship in the genus Jatropha L. (Euphorbiaceae). Univ Calif Publ Bot 74:1–75 + 33 plates
Deore AC, Johnson TS (2008) Occurrence of vivipary in Jatropha curcas L. Curr Sci 95: 321–322
Dey KC, Roy SK (1995) External morphology of seeds of Euphorbiaceae and their taxonomic significance. Geophytol 24:177–186
Duke JA (1969) On tropical seedlings-.I. Seeds, seedling systems and systematics. Ann Mo Bot Gdn 56:125–161
Ehler N (1976) Micromorphologie der saemober flachen der gattung euphorbia. Plant Syst Evol 126:189–207
Idu M, Timoothy O, Onyibe HL, Comor AO (2009) Comparative morphological and anatomical studies on the leaf and stem of some of medicinal plants: Jatropha curcas L. and J. tanjorensis Ellis & Saroja. Ethnobotanical Leaflets 13:1232–1239
Kamilya P, Paria N (1994) Seedling characteristics in Jatropha L. (Euphorbiaceae). Acta Bot Indica 22:251–256
Khasim SM, Rao TVR, Ramesh G, Hemalatha S (2012) Structure and development of fruit and seed in Jatropha gossypiifolia L. In: Bahadur B, Sujatha M, Carels N (eds) Jatropha, challenges of new energy crop, vol 2. Springer, New York, p 149
Kigel J, Galili G (1995) Seed development and germination. Marcel Decker, New York
Leal IR, Tabarelli M, Silva JMC (eds) (2003) Ecologia e conservação da Caatinga. UFPE, Recife, p. 804
Leal IR, Wirth R, Tabarelli M (2007) Seed dispersal by ants in the semi-arid Caatinga of North-east Brazil. Ann Bot 99:885–894
Lengyel S, Gove AD, Latimer AM, Jonathan DM (2010) Convergent evolution of seed dispersal by ants and phylogeny and biogeography in flowering plants; a global survey. Perspect Plant Ecol Evol 12:43–55
McVaugh R (1945) The genus Jatropha in America: principal intrageneric groups. Bull Torr Bot Cl 72:271–294
Muller EM (1978) Seedlings of North-Western European low lands. In: Junk W (ed) A flora of seedlings. Publishers Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation, The Hague, p 600
Olowokudejo JD (1993) Comparative epidermal morphology of West African species of Jatropha L. (Euphorbiaceae). Bot J Linn Soc 111:130–154
Pal A, Khan AM (1978) Structure and development of seed in Jatropha multifida and J. podagrica. Acta Bot Indica 6:201–208
Paria N (1996) Seedling morphology and its implication in taxonomy. In: Pal PK (ed) Contemporary thoughts in plant sciences. Academic College, Burdwan University, India
Rata Krishnan P, Paramathma M (2009) Potentials and Jatropha species wealth of India. Curr Sci 97:1000–1004
Reddy GM (2006) Seedling leaf morphology in identification of sex types and confirmation through RAPD markers in Carica papaya. J Genet Breed (Italy) 95:1–12
Rickert AA, Francchia S (2006) Diplochory in two Jatropha species of Monte desert of Argentina. Aust Ecol 35:326–335
Roth I (1977) Fruits of angiosperms. Gebruder Borntraeger, Stuttgart/Berlin/Germany
Singh RP (1970) Structure and development of seeds in Euphorbiacee. Beitr Biol Pflanz 47:70–90
Smith DL, Scott C (1985) Cotyledon venation pattern in Leguminosae: Caesalpinoideae. Bot J Linn Soc 90:73–103
Standley PC (1923) Trees and shrubs of Mexico. Contr US Nat Herb 23:517–548
Tokuoka T (1998) Ovules and seeds in Crotonoideae (Euphorbiaceae): structure and systematics implications. Bot Jb 120:165–186
Webster GL (1994) Classification of Euphorbiaceous species. Ann Mo Bot Gdn 81:3–32
Acknowledgements
We thank the concerned for permitting us to reproduce seed images of J. scaposa, J. subinequalis, J. aconitifolia and J. mahafelensis (http/:flickerhuemind.net Tags Mozambique) and other internet sources.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Murthy, G.V.S., Chamundeswari, E., Goverdhen, S., Bahadur, B. (2013). Fruit, Seed and Seedling Characters in Jatropha L.. In: Bahadur, B., Sujatha, M., Carels, N. (eds) Jatropha, Challenges for a New Energy Crop. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4915-7_7
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4915-7_7
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-4914-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-4915-7
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)