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Plant Biol (Stuttg) 2007; 9(1): 158-162
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-924649
Short Research Paper

Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart KG · New York

The Anatomy of the Stigma and Style from Cyclamen persicum (Mill.) cv. “Pure White” and its Relation to Pollination Success

S. Reinhardt1 , A. Ewald1 , F. Hellwig2
  • 1Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Department for Plant Propagation, Kühnhäuser Straße 101, 99189 Kühnhausen, Germany
  • 2Institute of Systematic Botany, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Philosophenweg 16, 07743 Jena, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received: May 18, 2006

Accepted: September 6, 2006

Publication Date:
13 November 2006 (online)

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Abstract

Old flowers of Cyclamen generate few or no seeds. To understand the pollination problems of Cyclamen we investigate the general anatomy of the stigma and the style of Cyclamen persicum by scanning electron microscopy at different stages of floral maturity. Our investigations confirm that there is a hollow style. Against data commonly found in the literature, we present evidence of pollen germination and tube growth that show the stigma is not outside the style but inside it. Furthermore the maturation process of the style during the flowering time indicates a mechanism by which the stigma becomes shut off through closure at the terminal aperture of the style. At 3 to 5 days after anthesis there was the beginning closure of the style which was nearly completed at 21 days. The substance which leads to the closure is still unknown. The closure of the hollow style is a probable cause for failure of seed set in flowers not pollinated early in anthesis.

Key words

Cyclamen persicum - hollow style - SEM - pollination - style anatomy.