Growth relationships of individual flowers during late stages of floral development of <i>Rhododendron</i> L. 'Prize' and 'Gloria'

Abstract

Single terminal inflorescences from two-stemmed plants of Rhododendron L. cv. 'Prize' and 'Gloria' were recurrently sampled during a 9°C cold treatment and subsequent forcing period in an 18°C growth chamber until plants reached anthesis. At each sample period, bud length and width were measured on each inflorescence, while subtending bud scale, petal, stamen ('Gloria' only), style, peduncle and ovary length, ovary width, and flower weight were determined on the two most basally attached flowers within an inflorescence for each cultivar. Polynomial regression models were calculated for each floral growth measurement over time, except for bud length and width, for each of the four flowers within a cultivar. Comparison of regression models revealed differences in floral part growth patterns among the various flowers within each cultivar. During the first week of placement in 18°C forcing temperatures after the cold treatment, bud length was the only floral part to grow on 'Prize' plants, while only female f...