Life Sciences Commons^™

Floral Thermogenesis Of Three Species Of Hydnora (Hydnoraceae) In Africa, Roger S. Seymour, Erika Maass, Jay F. Bolin

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Background and Aims: Floral thermogenesis occurs in at least 12 families of ancient seed plants. Some species show very high rates of respiration through the alternative pathway, and some are thermoregulatory, with increasing respiration at decreasing ambient temperature. This study assesses the intensity and regulation of respiration in three species of African Hydnora that represent the Hydnoraceae, an unusual family of holoparasitic plants from arid environments.

Methods: Long-term respirometry (CO₂ production) and thermometry were carried out on intact flowers of H. africana, H. abyssinica and H. esculenta in the field, and short-term measurements were made on floral parts …

Structural Attributes Of The Hypogeous Holoparasite Hydnora Triceps Drège & Meyer (Hydnoraceae), Kushan U. Tennakoon, Jay F. Bolin, Lytton J. Musselman, Erika Maas

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The morphology of the hypogeous root holoparasite Hydnora triceps is highly reduced, and as with many holoparasites, the vegetative body is difficult to interpret. The vegetative body of H. triceps has been historically considered a "pilot root" studded with lateral appendages known as "haustorial roots." We found the vegetative body of H. triceps to consist of a rhizome with a thickened root-cap-like structure that covered a vegetative shoot apical meristem. From the apical meristem, procambial strands originated and developed into endarch collateral vascular bundles arranged radially around a pith without an interfascicular cambium. Xylem vessels had scalariform pitting and simple …