In the gynoecium of <em>Dracaena fragrans</em>, <em>Sansevieria</em> <em>parva </em>and <em>S. trifasciata</em>, the vertical zonality of the ovary, the structural zonality of the gynoecium following Leinfellner, and the zonality of the septal nectary were studied. The ovary structure is characterised by a high parenchymatous ovary base and ovary roof as well as a long septal nectary that can be extended in both of them and opens with secretory nectary splits. The gynoecium of these species has a short synascidiate zone, a fertile hemisynascidiate zone with a median ovule attached, a hemisymlicate zone (only in <em>D. fragrans</em>) and an asymplicate zone (with postgenitally fused carpels) that comprises the ovary roof, common style and stigma. In the septal nectary, we detected three vertical zones: the basal zone of the distinct nectary in the ovary base or/and the synascidiate zone, the zone of the common nectary (in the hemisynascidiate and hemisymlicate zones) and the zone of the external nectary (the nectary splits in the asymplicate zone). The gynoecium structure in the studied species shows differences in the length of the gynoecium and septal nectary zones and also in the interrelationships of all these three types of vertical zonality.

The general morphology and micromorphology of the flower in Polygonatum multiflorum, Maianthemum bifolium, and Convallaria majalis were studied using light microscopy methods. Among the studied species, P. multiflorum and C. majalis have syntepalous and trimerous flowers, and in M. bifolium flowers are the most reduced: they are dimerous, pentacyclic, and with free tepals. Only in P. multiflorum stamens are considerably adnate to the floral tube. The gynoecium of P. multiflorum consists of synascidiate, hemisymplicate, and asymplicate zones. In the gynoecium of M. bifolium and C. majalis, synascidiate, symplicate, and asymplicate vertical zones were revealed. In P. multiflorum and M. bifolium, the style is composed of postgenitally connated carpels, while in C. majalis the style is formed by congenitally fused carpels (symplicate gynoecium zone). A common pattern of the venation of the floral parts was revealed in all the species.The external flower morphology and the gynoecium inner structure are different in all three species, providing adaptations for the pollination mode. Attractive elements observed in the flower of P. multiflorum are the long septal nectary in the ovary and epidermal trichomes on the inner perigonium surface and on the filaments. In M. bifolium, a rudimentary external septal nectary was observed for the first time. No nectaries or other morphologically distinct secretory structures were found in the C. majalis flower, allowing considering the C. majalis flowers as pollen flowers.

No abstract

We studied the structure of flowers of Galanthus nivalis and Leucojum vernum using cross-sections and longitudal sections of permanent preparations using a light microscope. Genera Galanthus and Leucojum belong to the Galantheae tribe characterized by a unique combination of features of the family Amaryllidaceae, i.e. absence of septal nectaries, poricidal anthers and fruit – fleshy capsule. Both species are represented in the flora of Ukraine and have the life form of bulb ephemeroid of decidous forests. Microscopic surveys of flowers are considered as an instrument for determining yet unknown structural adaptations of plants to specialized ways of pollination and determining the first stages of morphogenesis of fruit, because many features of the fruit appear already at the stage of flower. We determined that the tepals of both studied species have multi-bundle traces of 8–9 vascular bundles. Apical dehiscence of the anthers occurs due to short longitudinal sutures in the upper part of the anthers. The nectar disk on the roof of the inferior ovary is poorly differentiated, and has no vascular bundles. We associate the indicated peculiarities of the flower structure with the offer of pollen as the main reward of the pollinator during buzz-polination, which has not reported for the studied species. Placentation is axile in the lower part of the ovary and parietal in the upper one. We consider that the gynoecium of the studied species is eusyncarpous. The vascular system of the inferior ovary is composed of three dorsal and three septal veins, paired ventral bundles of carpels, which form the traces of ovules, and also small additional bundles in the wall of the ovary. For the first time, we have determined the presence of airy parenchyma in the ovules, ovary roof, the style and anthers’ connectives and have confirmed their presence in the tepals and the wall of the ovary at the stage of flowering. We found differentiation of the mesocarp into photosynthesizing and airy parenchyma, small sizes of cells of the endocardium in the area of the dorsal vein, bifurcate dorsal bundles of the carpels, which could be considered as adaptation of different stages of morphogenesis of fruit to dehiscence. Anatomical peculiarities of the ovaries of G. nivalis and L. vernum: numerous vascular bundles in the pericarp, thick parenchyma mesocarp with air-filled cavities, non-lignified endocarp at the stage of the flower we consider adaptations to the formation of fleshy fruit. The new data we obtained on the anatomical structure of the flowers is a significant addition of information about anthecological and carpological (post-anthetic) peculiarities of the surveyed species.

The structure of Agapanthus africanus and A. praecox flowers was studied on permanent cross-sectional and longitudinal sections using a light microscope. The genus Agapanthus belongs to the subfamily Agapanthoideae, the family Amaryllidaceae, which is characterized by the presence of the upper ovary, septal nectaries and fruit – fleshy capsule. Micromorphological studies of the flower are considered as a way for detection of unknown plant features, adjustment of plants to specialized ways of pollination and determining the first stages of morphogenesis of fruit, and further use these features in taxonomy. 10 flowers of A. africanus and A. praecox were sectioned using standard methods of Paraplast embedding and serial sectioning at 20 micron thickness. Sections were stained with Safranin and Astra Blau and mounted in Eukitt. It was found that in the studied species the tepals have single-bundle traces. The vascular system of the superior ovary consists of a three bundle dorsal vein, of the ventral roots complex, which are reorganized into paired ventral bundles of the carpel, which form traces to ovules. For the first time, the following gynoecium zones were detected in A. africanus: a synascidiate structural zone with a height of about 560 μm and a fertile symplicate structural zone with a height of about 380 μm and a hemisymplicate zone of 2580 μm. In A. praecox gynoecium, there is a synascidiate structural zone with a height of 200 μm and a symplicate structural zone of 600 μm and a hemisymplicate zone of 620 μm. Septal nectaries appear in the hemisymplicate zone and open with nectar fissures at the base of the column, with a total septal nectar height of 2880 μm in A. africanus and 820 μm in A. praecox. The ovary roof is 300 µm in A. africanus and 200 µm in A. praecox. Triple dorsal bundles of carpels in A. africanus have been identified, which could be considered as adaptation of different stages of morphogenesis of fruit to dehiscence. The new data obtained by the vascular anatomy of the flower and the presence of different ovary zones significantly add to the information about anatomical and morphological features of the studied species, which can be further used in the taxonomy of the family Amaryllidaceae.

The use of morphological features of flowers in the taxonomy of plants is becoming increasingly important. The structure of the Zephyranthes candida (Lindl.) Herb. flowers on permanent cross-sectional and longitudinal sections was studied using a light microscope. The genus Zephyranthes belongs to the subtribe Hippeastrinae Walp. tribe Hippeastreae Sweet., family Amaryllidaceae s.l. Microscopic studies of the flower are considered as a tool to identify hitherto unknown structural adaptations of plants to specialized pollination methods and to elucidate the first stages of fruit morphogenesis, as many features of the fruit appear at the flower stage. The morphometric parameters, morphology, anatomy, and vascular anatomy of the ovary were described by using the flower’s transverse sections. Ten flowers of Z. candida were sectioned using standard methods of Paraplast embedding and serial sectioning at 20 μm thickness. Sections were stained with Safranin and Astra Blau and mounted in Eukitt. It was found that in the studied species the tepals have multi-bundle traces of 10–12 leading bundles. We consider the gynoecium of the studied species to be eusincarpous. The vascular system of the inferior ovary consists of three dorsal and three septal bundles, paired ventral bundles of carpels, which form ovule traces. For the first time, the presence of the following gynoecium zones was detected: a synascidiate structural zone with a height of about 360 μm and a fertile symplicate structural zone with a height of about 1560 μm and a hemisymplicate zone of 480 μm. Septal nectaries appear in the hemisymplicate zone and open with nectary split at the base of the style, the total height of the septal nectary is 760 μm. The ovary roof is 280 μm. Bifurcated dorsal and septal bundles of carpels have been identified, which can be considered as adaptations of the early stages of fruit morphogenesis to opening. Anatomical features of the ovary of Z. candida are numerous vascular bundles in the pericarpium, non-lignified endocarp at the flower stage, we consider as adaptations to the formation of juicy fruit. New data on the anatomical structure of the flower are a significant addition to the information on antecological and post-anthetic features of the studied species. Also, these data can be used in the construction of parsimony branches of the family Amaryllidaceae.

In this review, the scope of morphological diversity of fruits within the class Liliopsida belonging to the flora of Ukraine compared to the world flora diversity was analyzed. For the first time, the taxonomic diversity of monocot plants of the flora of Ukraine was analyzed, which includes 235 genera and about 1050 species, and the distribution of fruit types in the largest monocot families revealed. It was found that among monocot plants of the world flora, as also of the Ukrainian flora, more than 70% of generic and species diversity is taken up by the Orchidaceae, Poaceae, and Cyperaceae families having dry uniform fruits: inferior capsule (Orchidaceae) and one-seeded enveloped fruit (Poaceae and Cyperaceae). An annotated list of morphological fruit types was compiled for all 38 families of the natural and cultural flora of monocot plants of Ukraine. Among 12 families of the subclass Alismatidae, apocarpous polymerous or trimerous fruits, mostly with one-seeded fruitlets, occur in six families (Alismataceae, Butomaceae, Potamogetonaceae, Ruppiaceae, Scheuchzeriaceae, Zannichelliaceae). In 12 of 16 families of the subclass Liliidae, trimerous capsules are the most common (Agapanthaceae, Agavaceae, Alliaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Asphodelaceae, Colchicaceae, Hemerocallidacae, Hyacinthaceae, Iridaceae, Liliасеае, Melanthiaceae, Orchidaceae), while in six families berry-like fruit occurs in all members or in the single genus (Asparagaceae, Ruscaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Melanthiaceae (Paris), Liliасеае (Streptopus), Smilacaceae). Among 10 families of the subclass Commelinidae, in four families superior dry one-seeded fruits occur (Cyperaceae, Poaceae, Sparganiaceae, Typhaceae), while another four families have trimerous capsules (Cannaceae, Commelinaceae, Juncaceae, Pontederiaceae). In general, the most typical fruit on the familial taxonomical level is the capsule (17 families), berries occur in 10 families, aggregate fruits and one-seeded fruits are represented each in seven families, while the rarest fruit type is the schizocarp (Juncaginaceae). No monomerous follicles, poricide and operculate capsules, winged fruits and loments were found. The most controversial fruit types are found in two groups of families, for both of them the problem is the gynoecium type. These are families with one-seeded fruit (Аrасеае (Lemna), Cyperaceae, Hydrocharitaceae (Najas), Poaceae, Sparganiaceae, Typhaceae, Zosteraceae) and families with initial carpel fusion (Hydrocharitaceae (Stratiotes), Juncaginaceae, Melanthiaceae (Veratrum), Scheuchzeriaceae, Tofieldiaceae). As a result of our work, the key and the most relevant areas of carpological studies in Ukraine were defined, particularly, unifying the terminology, examination of the anatomical structure of the pericarp, revealing of the evolutionary and ecological aspects of fruit morphology.

Вивчено морфологічну будову та васкулярну анатомію квітки Alliumcepa. Виявлено нові морфологічні ознаки вертикальної зональності гінецею та васкулярної анатомії квітки, які раніше не використовувались у систематиці родини Amaryllidaceae. Мікроморфологічні препарати 15 квіток Allium cepa виготовили, використовуючи стандартні методи просочення рослинного матеріалу парафіном. Описано виготовлені зрізи квітки на стадії бутону завтовшки 15-20 мкм за допомогою ротаційного мікротома. Ми встановили наявність трьох вертикальних зон у гінецеї Allium cepa: в основі гнізд наявна синасцидіатна зона, вище симплікатна структурна зона, в якій містяться насінні зачатки, та гемісимплікатна зона, яка висотою займає верхню частину гнізд. Мікроморфологію та васкулярну анатомію квітки вивчали за допомогою поперечних зрізів квітів. Квітконіжка в Allium cepa біля основи містить 6 провідних пучків, які вище на рівні дають початок 12 провідним пучкам, слідам листочків оцвітини та слідам тичинок; дорзальні провідні пучки відходять вище. Дорзальні пучки плодолистика однопучкові. В центрі зав’язі утворюється провідний циліндр із дрібних провідних пучків, які вище на рівні появи гнізд реорганізуються в три півмісяцеві провідні пучки – корені вентрального комплексу. Вище ці пучки реорганізуються у 6 масивних провідних пучків і живлять насінні зачатки – вентральні пучки плодолистків. Насінних зачатків по 2 в кожному гнізді, слід насінного зачатка однопучковий. Вище гнізд зав’язі вентральні та дорзальні пучки плодолистка закінчуються сліпо. Сліди зовнішніх та внутрішніх листочків оцвітини та сліди тичинок однопучкові. Нові отримані нами дані допомогли поглибити знання про морфологію та васкулярну анатомію квітки Allium cepa та допоможуть порівняти отримані морфологічні та анатомічні особливості з ознаками, вивченими раніше, для представників родини Amaryllidaceae з метою подальшого їх використання в систематиці.