A NOTE ON SPOROGENESES IN DIPCADI SEROTINUM (L.) MEDIC.

Abstract

Distinguished from the rest of the genera of the Scilloideae, Dipcadi is characterized by tuberous scapigerous herbs with racemed flowers, cylindric perianth of six erect segments, the outer recurved from about the middle and the inner at the tips only, included stamens and a short capsule which is broad, tridymous, loculicidal, and many-seeded. The genus is insufficiently known both cytologically and embryologically. The present paper gives an account of micro- and mega-sporogenesis in a plant of D. serotinum. This taxon, with a diploid chromosome number of eight and with all chromosomes having satellites and all apparently taking part in nucleolar organization, has other features of interest such as meiotic irregularities, abnormal megaspore tetrads, and polyspory. These have been recorded here and explanations are given as far as possible.