Reproductive biology of Chinese herbaceous perennial Peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) using the Paraffin Method

Abstract

Chinese herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) is apopular ornamental plant. However, little is known about its reproductivebiology by histological analyses. Here, we used the paraffinwax method to study the reproductive biology of the Chinese herbaceouspeony (Paeonia lactiflora ‘Dafugui’). The results showed thatthe flower bud of Chinese herbaceous peony was a mixed bud. Thecourse of flower bud differentiation included some developmentalmorphology periods, such as bract, calyx, petal, stamen, and pistil. Theanther wall development was related to a dicotyledonous type. Pollenwas mainly 2-celled, only few of them were 3-celled. Moreover, themature pollen was circular with three germinal apertures. The numberof pollen in petaloid anther was less than normal with differentmaturation periods. Superior ovary, polymerized follicle, anatropousovule, polygonum type embryo sac, and serious embryo sac abortionwere the features of the Chinese herbaceous peony found in thisstudy. Moreover, in the Chinese herbaceous peony, the embryo wasof a dicotyledonous type; the endosperm followed a nucleus model,and the seed coat showed double wall.