Abstract.
The floral development of Triaenophora has been studied in order to explore the developmental basis for the phylogenetic relationship between Triaenophora and allies in Veronicaceae. The simple raceme with a subtending bract and two lateral bracteoles for each flower is probably derived from a compound inflorescence consisting of basic units of 3-5-flowered cymes. The initiation sequence of the calyx and corolla lobes fits into the common pattern of Digitaleae and Veroniceae. The delay in early growth of the corolla and aestivation is intermediate between Digitaleae and Veroniceae. Only four stamens are initiated, with a gap at the expected site of the fifth stamen. The occasional re-occurrence of the fifth stamen as a staminode is probably a reflection of an ancestral feature as in Digitalis. The affinities of Triaenophora within Veronicaceae are discussed based on comparative floral development.
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The authors thank Prof. De-Yuan Hong, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China for his helpful comments and improvement of the manuscript, Dr. R. Olmstead and B. Oxelman for providing information, Mr. Yin-Hou Xiao and Dr. Yao-Dong Qi for their technical assistance for SEM and photographs, and Mr. Ying-Bao Sun for the line drawings. This study was supported by NSFC Projects 30270093.
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Wang, L., Wang, YZ. Floral development of Triaenophora (Veronicaceae) and phylogenetic implications. Plant Syst. Evol. 250, 69–79 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-004-0222-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-004-0222-3