Early Inflorescence and Floral Development in Cocos Nucifera L. (Arecaceae: Arecoideae) ⁎ P.I.P
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com South African Journal of Botany 76 (2010) 482–492 www.elsevier.com/locate/sajb Early inflorescence and floral development in Cocos nucifera L. (Arecaceae: Arecoideae) ⁎ P.I.P. Perera a,d, , V. Hocher b, L.K. Weerakoon a, D.M.D. Yakandawala c,d, S.C. Fernando a, J.-L. Verdeil e a Coconut Research Institute, Tissue Culture Division, 61150 Lunuwila, Sri Lanka b Institute for Research and Development (IRD), UMR 1098 BEPC, IRD, BP 64501-911 Avenue Agropolis, 34394 Montpellier Cedex 1, France c Department of Botany, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka d Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka e CIRAD, TA40/02 Avenue Agropolis, 34398 Montpellier Cedex 5, France Received 9 September 2009; received in revised form 17 March 2010; accepted 18 March 2010 Abstract Palms are generally characterized by a large structure with a massive crown that creates difficulties in anatomical studies. The flowering behaviour of palm species may be a useful indicator of phylogenetic relationships and therefore evolutionary events. This paper presents a detailed histological study of reproductive development in coconut (Cocos nucifera L.), from initiation up to maturation of staminate and pistillate flowers. Reproductive development in coconut consists of a sequence of individual events that span more than two years. Floral morphogenesis is the longest event, taking about one year, while sex determination is a rapid process that occurs within one month. The inflorescence consists of different ultimate floral structural components. Pistillate flowers are borne in floral triads that are flanked by two functional staminate flowers.
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