The Flowering Unit in the Synflorescences of Amaranthaceae

ACOSTA, JUAN MANUEL; PERRETA MARIEL,; AMSLER ALICIA,; VEGETTI, ABELARDO

BOTANICAL REVIEW

NYBG Press

Lugar: New York ; Año: 2009 vol. 75 p. 365 - 376

0006-8101

The structure of the synflorescence and the flowering units in Amaranthaceae are characterized.  The synflorescence is polytelic. In the flowering unit we recognize the main florescence and the enrichment zone. The florescences may consist of:  (1) Fully developed partial florescences bearing three or more flowers;  (2) Partial florescences reduced to one or a few fertile flowers having prophylls with more or less modified axillary productions; or (3) No partial florescences but solitary flowers having prophylls with no axillary productions. We described  the flowering unit in species with florescences bearing a solitary flower and  the flowering unit in species with florescences bearing partial florescences. Hypothesized developmental processes are described, with a view to finding relationships among different models characterized in the family as well as defining characters for cladistic studies, which may be useful to depict all the variations observed.