Ontogeny of reproductive units and replum formation in Pyrostegia venusta (Ker Gawl.) Miers (Bignoniaceae)

• Grant number: 12/13736-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2012
• End date: August 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Plant Morphology
• Principal Investigator: Sandra Maria Carmello-Guerreiro
• Grantee: Rafael Siqueira de Andrade
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The family Bignoniaceae Juss. includes about 800 species of arboreal habits, shrubs, and vines. Its distribution is pantropical with the highest occurrence in the Neotropics. Brazil has a significant representation in the diversity of the family, with about 350 species. The current classification of the family allows separation into eight tribes, and one of the characteristics that allow such a distinction possible is the type of fruit. Thus, the formation of fruit has great relevance to understanding the taxonomy of the group. The studies conducted so far in Bignoniaceae still don't eliminate the doubts about the development of the ovary, placenta formation, the septum and/or replum, and the formation of the fruit. There are few studies that verify these morphological and anatomic characteristics. In this context, the focus of this project, is, therefore, to study the development of the reproductive units of Pyrostegia venusta (Ker Gawl.) Miers, which belongs to the tribe Bignonieae Dumort. It is a species that occurs in fields, forest borders, and roadsides, and may even be a culture invader. The work, thus, searches for information about the formation of the placenta and of the septum or replum, and with this contributes to the taxonomy of the group.(AU)