Studies on palms: embryology of Livistona chinensis R. Br.

Abstract

The paper gives an account of the embryology of a palmatel-leaved palm Livistona chinensis R. Br., a native of China and Japan. It is quite commonly cultivated in India. One speciesL. jenkinsiana Griff. grows wild in Assam Hills. Various types of embryo sac and embryo development have been reported in different palms, but in the large majority of them it is of the monosporic 8-nucléate Polygonum type, except in Hyphaene indica in which it was found to be of Allium type (Mahabalé and Chenna veeraiah, 1957). The embryo sac in this palm is of the 8-nucleate Polygonum type. This type is found both in the palmate- and pinnate-leaved palms. The embryo development conforms toAsterad type. In early stages of embryogenesis meristem lies in between two growth centres which later develop into cotyledons. One of these, however, is suppressed very early and is over-grown by the other cotyledon. The growing point is terminal and looks to have a single over-grown cotyledon. The development of embryo upto globular stage is as in other monocotyledons, but its later development is more like that in Agapanthus umbellatus or Ranunculus ficaria. The embryogeny thus appears to support the view of suppression of one cotyledon in monocots by the other which overgrows. It would support the contention that both the monocot and dicot embryos might have arisen from some polycotyledonous ancestors.