Floral development in three species of Acacia (Leguminosae, Mimosoideae)

The complete sequence of floral development in three species of Acacia was analysed. These species were sampled from each of the three Acacia subgenera. The species were Acacia berlandieri Benth. (subg. Aculeiferum), A. pennatula (Schltdl. & Cham.) Benth. (subg. Acacia) and A. saligna (Labill.) H.L.Wendl. (subg. Phyllodineae). The aim of the study was to determine whether the different subgenera share developmental pathways during flower formation. This study showed that development in the genus Acacia is heterogeneous. Each species studied showed different inception patterns of the calyx and androecium, whereas the inception patterns of the corolla and gynoecium were similar. These differences of inception in the calyx are not necessarily constant within each subgenus. Nevertheless, each subgenus was differentiated on the basis of inception patterns of the androecium, and other features such as the presence or absence of congenital or postgenital fusion in the calyx and corolla, and the time of differentiation of calyx and corolla tubes and the style.