Abstract
Ecological traits of <i>Erica carnea</i> L. flowers and the morphology of floral nectaries were investigated using stereoscopic, light and scanning electron microscopy. The nectary in the flowers of <i>Erica carnea</i> is located in the basal part of the ovary. It represents the gynoecial nectary type. It has the form of a yellow, ribbed ring with eight outgrowths, pointed towards the base, which alternately adjoin the stamen filaments. The height of the nectary is 400 µm and its thickness 200 - 250 µm. The parenchyma of the nectary is composed of 6 - 8 layers. Nectar secretion occurs through anomocytic stomata with a diameter of 17 µm. Guard cells are only found on the outgrowths of the nectary and they are situated most frequently at the level of other epidermal cells. During nectar secretion, a small degree of pore opening was observed. In the flowers of <i>Erica carnea</i>, secondary nectar presentation was found, with the nectar accumulating at the base of the fused corolla.
Highlights
In the Ericaceae family, different flower structures are found
The attractiveness of Erica carnea flowers is determined by their pink corolla petals and dark purple anthers protruding beyond the ampoule-shaped corolla (Figs 1A, B)
The nectary is distinguished by its orange-yellow colour and it has the form of a ribbed ring with hook-like outgrowths
Summary
In the Ericaceae family, different flower structures are found. These flowers differ from one another in their symmetry, the number of elements in particular whorls (4 or 5) and the position of the ovary in the flower (inferior or superior). The position and structure of the nectary are related to the structure of the pistil in this family (Bernardello , 2007). Heath (Erica) flowers are bisexual, 4 – petalled, with colourful corollas. They occur in small racemose inflorescences at the stem tips. The pistil with superior ovary has a long style. The perianth persists in petal-shedding flowers, where it dries up and surrounds the forming fruit. The fruit is a capsule which contains numerous tiny seeds (H e g i , 1959; Szweykowscy , 2003; Czekalski , 2008)
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