Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2014, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (3): 313-321.DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1259.2014.00313

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Floweret Configuration Characters of the Medicinal Plant Amomun villosum

Guozhen He1,2, Wei Gao1,3, Jing Su4, Jinkun Li1,5, Liyun Tang6*   

  1. 1College of Chinese Traditional Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China

    2Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Resources of Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510006, China;

    3Dongguan Dongtang Group Company Limited, Dongguan 523243, China

    4Yangchun Field Test and Demonstration of Amomum villosum, Yangchun 529600, China

    5Guangzhou Baiyunshan Mingxing Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Guangzhou 510250, China

    6College of Life Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
  • Received:2013-09-24 Revised:2014-01-26 Online:2014-05-01 Published:2014-06-03
  • Contact: Liyun Tang

Abstract: Flower configuration is related to the species of pollinators. The special configuration of the Amomun villosum floweret may limit the number of pollinator species. To understand the floweret configuration of A. villosum, we developed a new method for finding the proper pollination route and increasing yield. Here we report the method and results for the configuration characters of three A. villosum cultivars: Changguo, Yuanguo and Zhonghua. The longitudinal (LDgl) and transverse (TDgl) distances between the gynandrium-like and labellum were measured by stereomicroscopy. The floweret was anatomized before evaluating distances. The labellum of a blossoming floweret was cut along the thickest and colored zone, which resulted in a plane composed of the edges of gynandrium-like and cutting surface. The plane was placed upright to the lens of the stereomicroscope for imaging. The distances were evaluated on the image by use of Qcapture Pro 6.0.0412. The TDgl of Zhonghua was shortest, with no difference in LDgl among the 3 cultivars. The angle between the filament and labellum or anther was named α or β. We created a model of gynandrium-like stance by evaluating angles of α and β. The level of LDgl or TDgl depends on the standing extent of gynandrium-like. The value (γ) of sum of α and β is a cultivar characteristic parameter of A. villosum. We measured the longest length (Lan) and widest width (Wan) of pollen sac. Lan ranged from long to short in the order of Zhonghua, Changguo and Yuanguo, with no difference in Wan,. The difference in Lan is another cultivar characteristic of A. villosum. The stigma is cup-shaped and the size of the mouth was measured. The mouth area was larger for Changguo than Yuanguo, with no difference between Zhonghua and Changguo or Yuanguo. The distance between the tops of stigma and anthers (Dsp) was measured. Stigma mouth sizes were higher than anther tops. The Dsp was lower for Yuanguo than Changguo and Zhonghua, with no difference between Changguo and Zhonghua.