Plant Systematics and Evolution

, Volume 143, Issue 1–2, pp 163–165 | Cite as

Dissimilar pollen tetrad development inEricaceae andOnagraceae causes family-specific viscin thread configuration

  • Michael Hesse
Short Communication

Abstract

Genetically fixed polarities in pollen tetrad development lead to different, but family-specific arrangements of particular ektexine elements in the two unrelated angiosperm familiesEricaceae andOnagraceae. In the former, the so-called viscin threads are inserted on the distal, in the latter on the proximal pollen face only. Despite their diametrically opposed configurations, the viscin threads of the two families have attained identical functions in pollination ecology by convergent evolution.

Key words

Ericaceae Onagraceae Microsporogenesis exine pollination ecology viscin threads 

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References

  1. Hesse, M., 1981: Viscinfäden bei Angiospermen — homologe oder analoge Gebilde? — Mikroskopie38, 85–89.Google Scholar
  2. Skvarla, J. J., Raven, P. H., Praglowski, J., 1975: The evolution of pollen tetrads inOnagraceae. — Amer. J. Bot.62, 6–35.Google Scholar
  3. —, 1978: An ultrastructural study of viscin threads inOnagraceae pollen. — Pollen et Spores20, 5–143.Google Scholar
  4. Waha, M., 1982: Zur Ultrastruktur und Funktion pollenverbindender Fäden bei Angiospermen, insbesondere der Viscinfäden beiEricaceae. — Diss. Univ. Wien 1982.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1983

Authors and Affiliations

  • Michael Hesse
    • 1
  1. 1.Institut für Botanik und Botanischer GartenUniversität WienWienAustria

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