Vascular anatomy and morphology of the flower of Hymenocallis latifolia (Mill.) Roem. (Amaryllidaceae).

The vascular anatomy and morphology structure of the flower of the Hymenocallis latifolia were studied. New morphological features in particular, vertical zonality of the gynoecium and vascular anatomy of the flower are not taken into account in the taxonomy of the family Amaryllidaceae. 10 flowers of Hymenocallis latifolia were sectioned using standard methods of Paraplast embedding and serial sectioning at 20 mkm thickness. Sections were stained with Safranin and Astra Blau and mounted in Eukitt. We investigated the presence of two vertical zones in the Hymenocallis latifolia gynoecium: symplicate and hemisymplicate. The micromorphology and vascular flower anatomy were described by using flowers transverse sections. Hymenocallis latifolia peduncle has 41 vascular bundles. The paired ventral bundles of the carpel supplied ovules. Above the locules, the ventral bundles of the carpel merge with the dorsal and septal vascular bundles, forming dorsal veins. Traces of dorsal vascular bundles of carpel are five-bundles, traces of septal bundles of carpel are three-bundles. Traces of outer tepals are thirteen-bundles, traces of inner tepals are nine-bundles. Traces of stamens are single-bundle. The new data helped to deepen the knowledge about the morphology and vascular anatomy features of Hymenocallis latifolia flowers and will help to compare the obtained morphological and anatomical features with the features studied earlier for members of the family Amaryllidaceae for further using them in taxonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]