Floral anatomy of two species of Swartzia and its bearing on its systematic position

Abstract

The present investigation deals with the floral anatomy of two species of the genus Swartzia of the family Leguminosae. In Swartzia the vascular supply of sepals, petals and stamens arises independently from separate cycles of gaps. After the divergence of the vascular supply of the petals, a number of traces arise from third cycle of gaps and undergo repeated divisions to form a large number of traces, each one of which supplies a stamen. This is in contrast with Papilionaceous legumes which are either dihiate or unihiate, whereas Swartzia like members of Mimosoideae is trihiate. The implications of these obsevations on the systematic position of Swartzia have been discussed.