Morphology and vascular anatomy of the flower in Sansevieria suffruticosa N. E. Br. (Asparagaceae Juss.)

The results of studing flower morphology, vascular anatomy and gynoecium micromorphology of Sansevieria suffruticosa N. E. Br. are presented. In this species, there is a flower tube of semiadnated tepals and stamens and also syncarpous gyno­ecium having septal nectaries. According to our data, the vascular system of this flower is comparable with the vascular system of the flower having free tepals, stamens and carpels because all of them have independent innervation. The carpel trace consists of dorsal bundle and a median ventral bundle which bifurcated in two ventral bundles, fused with dorsal bundle in the ovary roof. The ovule is innervated from the median ventral bundle. The gynoecium of Sansevieria suffruticosa is hemisyncarpous, but it has a short synascidiate zone which is typical for the eusyncarpous gynoecium. The hemisynascidiate (fertile), hemisymplicate (higher part of the ovary) and asymplicate (style and stigma) zones are located above a synascidiate zone. The septal nectary in the ovary corresponds to the inner non-labyrinthine distinct type, and in the ovary roof – to the outer labyrinthine type. The high base and roof of the ovary, and also long septal nectary are characteristic features of the inner gynoecium structure of this species.