Anatomy of the floral, bract, and foliar nectaries of Triumfetta semitriloba (Tiliaceae)

Abstract

Triumfetta semitriloba Jacq. (Tiliaceae) is a tropical weedy species with floral nectaries and glands located at the margins of the leaves. The objectives of this work were to describe the anatomy of these secretory structures and to analyze their exudates. Sucrose, glucose, and fructose were identified in the product released by these secretory structures, characterizing them as nectaries. The nectaries of T. semitriloba are of a specialized type; a secretory epidermis comprised of pluricellular and multiserial nectariferous trichomes covers a nectariferous parenchyma, vascularized by phloem and xylem. A mass of phenolic compounds occurs in the head cells of the nectariferous trichomes of the foliar and bract nectaries; however, it is absent in trichomes of the floral nectary. The leaf and bract nectaries differed from those from flowers in their length and diameter. Structural features of the nectaries of T. semitriloba are typical of other taxa of the Malvales.Key words: foliar anatomy, histochemistry, Malvales, nectaries, Tiliaceae, Triumfetta semitriloba.