Correlation between Inflorescence Architecture and Floral Asymmetry—Evidence from Aberrant Flowers in <i>Canna</i> L. (Cannaceae)
Floral symmetry studies often focus on the development of monosymmetric and polysymmetric flowers, whereas asymmetric flowers and their position and function within the inflorescence structure are largely neglected. Cannaceae is one of the few families that possesses truly asymmetric flowers, servin...
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/19/2512 |
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| author | Qianxia Yu Tong Zhao Haichan Zhao Chelsea D. Specht Xueyi Tian Jingping Liao |
| author_facet | Qianxia Yu Tong Zhao Haichan Zhao Chelsea D. Specht Xueyi Tian Jingping Liao |
| author_sort | Qianxia Yu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Floral symmetry studies often focus on the development of monosymmetric and polysymmetric flowers, whereas asymmetric flowers and their position and function within the inflorescence structure are largely neglected. Cannaceae is one of the few families that possesses truly asymmetric flowers, serving as a model to study the characters and mechanisms involved in the development of floral asymmetry and its context within the developing and mature inflorescence. In this study, inflorescence structure and floral morphology of normal asymmetric flowers and 16 aberrant flower collections from <i>Canna indica</i> L. and <i>C. glauca</i> L. were photographed, analyzed, and compared with attention to stamen petaloidy, floral symmetry, and inflorescence branching patterns anterior and posterior to the aberrant flower. In comparison with normal flowers, the aberrant flowers are arranged into abnormal partial florescences, and vary in floral symmetry, orientation, and degree of androecial petaloidy. The appendage of the fertile stamen is universally located distal from the higher order bract, indicating an underlying influence of inflorescence architecture. A synthetic model is proposed to explain the relationship between floral symmetry and inflorescence structure. Data from the observation of aberrant phenotypes strongly support the hypothesis that irregular petaloidy of the stamens is correlated with an asymmetric morphogenetic field within the inflorescence that contributes to the overall floral asymmetry in <i>Canna</i> flowers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:17:37Z |
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| id | doaj.art-254ac86f17b247b2af7ca1242db045d0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T21:17:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-254ac86f17b247b2af7ca1242db045d02023-11-23T21:28:43ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472022-09-011119251210.3390/plants11192512Correlation between Inflorescence Architecture and Floral Asymmetry—Evidence from Aberrant Flowers in <i>Canna</i> L. (Cannaceae)Qianxia Yu0Tong Zhao1Haichan Zhao2Chelsea D. Specht3Xueyi Tian4Jingping Liao5Department of Grassland Science, College of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaKey Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, ChinaKey Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, ChinaSchool of Integrative Plant Science, Section of Plant Biology and the L.H. Bailey Hortorium, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USAKey Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, ChinaKey Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, ChinaFloral symmetry studies often focus on the development of monosymmetric and polysymmetric flowers, whereas asymmetric flowers and their position and function within the inflorescence structure are largely neglected. Cannaceae is one of the few families that possesses truly asymmetric flowers, serving as a model to study the characters and mechanisms involved in the development of floral asymmetry and its context within the developing and mature inflorescence. In this study, inflorescence structure and floral morphology of normal asymmetric flowers and 16 aberrant flower collections from <i>Canna indica</i> L. and <i>C. glauca</i> L. were photographed, analyzed, and compared with attention to stamen petaloidy, floral symmetry, and inflorescence branching patterns anterior and posterior to the aberrant flower. In comparison with normal flowers, the aberrant flowers are arranged into abnormal partial florescences, and vary in floral symmetry, orientation, and degree of androecial petaloidy. The appendage of the fertile stamen is universally located distal from the higher order bract, indicating an underlying influence of inflorescence architecture. A synthetic model is proposed to explain the relationship between floral symmetry and inflorescence structure. Data from the observation of aberrant phenotypes strongly support the hypothesis that irregular petaloidy of the stamens is correlated with an asymmetric morphogenetic field within the inflorescence that contributes to the overall floral asymmetry in <i>Canna</i> flowers.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/19/2512aberrant flowerasymmetric flower<i>Canna</i>floral symmetryinflorescenceZingiberales |
| spellingShingle | Qianxia Yu Tong Zhao Haichan Zhao Chelsea D. Specht Xueyi Tian Jingping Liao Correlation between Inflorescence Architecture and Floral Asymmetry—Evidence from Aberrant Flowers in <i>Canna</i> L. (Cannaceae) Plants aberrant flower asymmetric flower <i>Canna</i> floral symmetry inflorescence Zingiberales |
| title | Correlation between Inflorescence Architecture and Floral Asymmetry—Evidence from Aberrant Flowers in <i>Canna</i> L. (Cannaceae) |
| title_full | Correlation between Inflorescence Architecture and Floral Asymmetry—Evidence from Aberrant Flowers in <i>Canna</i> L. (Cannaceae) |
| title_fullStr | Correlation between Inflorescence Architecture and Floral Asymmetry—Evidence from Aberrant Flowers in <i>Canna</i> L. (Cannaceae) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Correlation between Inflorescence Architecture and Floral Asymmetry—Evidence from Aberrant Flowers in <i>Canna</i> L. (Cannaceae) |
| title_short | Correlation between Inflorescence Architecture and Floral Asymmetry—Evidence from Aberrant Flowers in <i>Canna</i> L. (Cannaceae) |
| title_sort | correlation between inflorescence architecture and floral asymmetry evidence from aberrant flowers in i canna i l cannaceae |
| topic | aberrant flower asymmetric flower <i>Canna</i> floral symmetry inflorescence Zingiberales |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/19/2512 |
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