Ontogenesis of the Potamogeton flower and fruitlet in SEM research

Abstract

The morphological development of fruitlets representing the four sections of the genus Potamogeton was investigated. Evident morphological differences in the course of the development of fruitlets between the species studied were found. They concern: a) size, shape and outline of carpels and fruitlets, b) individual rate of fruitlet development, c) angle arrangement of the fruitlets, and d) structure of the basal and the apical parts of the fruitlets. Acropetal initiating of the floral primordia was found, as well as the fact that the fruitlet surfaces are very variable and thus useless for taxonomical purposes.

Keywords

• morphology
• Potamogeton
• fruitlet
• surface
• flower