Floral morphology and anatomy of Bonnetiaceae

A detailed study of floral morphology and anatomy of three genera comprising a narrowly circumscribed dicotyledonous family Bonnetiaceae is presented. Flowers are subtended by bracteoles and possess a perianth that is clearly differentiated into a 5-parted calyx and corolla composed of rather thick members. The androecium contains numerous stamens that are united at the base to form a short tube or collar or the stamens are pentadelphous and grouped at the base into five bundles that are positioned in the petal planes. Stamen fascicle traces are reported for the first time in flowers of Bonnetiaceae and are shown to originate close to, or adnate to, the median petal trace. Occasionally, two fascicle bundles arise side by side from a common gap as double bundles. Anther morphology and attachment is variable. Ploiarium possesses nectariferous discs that alternate with the stamen clusters. The presence of nectariferous tissue in Archytaea is variable. Nectaries can be supplied by double bundles, supporting the view that the nectaries of Plioarium and Archytaea represent transformed stamens. Gynoecia are compound, superior, and 3-carpellate or 5-carpellate. Styles range from divided to the base to undivided, and uniformly have a papillate stigma and a central canal filled with transfusion tissue. Placentation changes from axile to essentially parietal at midlevel of the ovary. Ovules are bitegmic, and contrasted with the putatively closely related Theaceae in which the elongated inner integument forms the micropyle, the outer integument projects well beyond the inner one. In addition to the degree of style fusion and carpel number, other important differences among genera of Bonnetiaceae are found in anther wall structure and floral vascular patterns. Major features of variation in the floral vascular system relate to the number and degree of independence of sepallary and petal traces; degree of independence of the androecial vascularization; the organization of the central ovarian vascular system; and the condition of the stylar vasculature. Comparisons are made among the flowers of Bonnetiaceae, Theaceae and Clusiaceae.