Anatomy and development of the edible fruits of Cordiera concolor (Cham.) Kuntze (Rubiaceae)

JUDKEVICH, MARINA DANIELA; SALAS R.M.; GONZALEZ ANA M.

ANAIS DA ACADEMIA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS.

ACAD BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS

Lugar: Rio de Janeiro; Año: 2021

0001-3765

comprehensive study on the fruit anatomy and development of Cordiera concolor(Cordiereae- Rubiaceae) was carried out to establish the origin of the gelatinoustissue surrounding the seeds at maturity. Cordiera currently belongs to tribe Cordiereae,forming part of the species-rich lineage called Gardenieae complex. Most genera ofGardenieae complex has many-seeded fleshy fruits, with seeds usually imbedded in a pulp,which historically was considered of a placental nature. For thehistological analyses, fruits at different stages of development were fixed in formalin-acetic acid-alcohol and examined with light microscopy. The endocarp has no woody consistency, it is what classifies a fruit as berry The pericarp is differentiated into three histological zones: 1) the exocarp,formed of the epidermis and the sub-epidermal tannin cells, 2) the mesocarp, consisting ofparenchyma with tannins and druses, and 3) the endocarp, derived from the internalepidermis of the ovary. The placental tissue has little development during the formation ofthe pericarp. We concluded that the gelatinous tissue surrounding the seeds in the ripe fruitis formed of the mesocarp and endocarp. The present results disagree with the widelyaccepted conception of the placental origin of the gelatinous pulp surrounding the seeds inGardenieae Complex species.