Skip to main content
Log in

The ontogenetic basis for floral diversity in Agonis, Leptospermum and Kunzea (Myrtaceae)

  • Published:
Plant Systematics and Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract.

Floral development in three species each of Leptospermum and Kunzea, and one species of Agonis, is described and compared. Differences in the number of stamens and their arrangement in the flower at anthesis are determined by the growth dynamics of the bud. In Leptospermum, early expansion of the bud is predominantly in the axial direction and causes the stamen primordia to be initiated in antepetalous chevrons. In Kunzea, early expansion occurs predominantly in the lateral direction and successive iterations of stamen primordia are inserted alternately at more or less the same level. In both genera, further expansion in the lateral plane spreads the stamens into a ring around the hypanthium. Agonis flexuosa is similar to Leptospermum. Other variable factors include the timing at which stamen initiation commences (earlier in Leptospermum than Kunzea), the duration of stamen initiation (hence the total number of stamens produced – varies within genera), and very late differential expansion that forces stamens into secondary antesepalous groups in A. flexuosa and L. myrsinoides.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. Drinnan.

Additional information

The authors thank Dr H. Toelken for kindly providing some material and the impetus for this project. This research was supported by Australian Research Council grant AS19131815.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Drinnan, A., Carrucan, A. The ontogenetic basis for floral diversity in Agonis, Leptospermum and Kunzea (Myrtaceae). Plant Syst. Evol. 251, 71–88 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-004-0163-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-004-0163-x

Keywords

Navigation