Abstract

SOUZA, Luiz Antonio de; OLIVEIRA OYAMA, Sayuri de  and  MUNERATTO, Júnior Cezar. Morphology and anatomy of the developing fruit of macfadyena unguis-cati (L.)  A. H. Gentry, BignoniaceaeI. Acta Bot. Venez. [online]. 2008, vol.31, n.1, pp.1-14. ISSN 0084-5906.

Macfadyena unguis-cati is a species of liana that produces pod-like fruits consisting of two carpels and bearing winged seeds. This study was motivated by the diversity of capsule types and the few seed studies conducted in Bignoniaceae. Flowers and fruits in different development stages were structurally analyzed, following standard plant anatomical techniques. The fruit is a capsule with septifragal dehiscence associated with a septicidal dehiscence. During pre-anthesis, a meristem is formed in the middle region of the ovary mesophyll. The seed originates from an anatropous, unitegmic, tenuinucellate and endothelial ovule. The mature seed is exotestal and presents little endosperm and a straight embryo.

Keywords : Bignoniaceae; development; fruit; liana; Macfadyena; seed.