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Floral Initiation and its Relationship to Growth-Stage in Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.)

1959; Nature Portfolio; Volume: 184; Issue: 4685 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1038/184559a0

1476-4687

J. L. Stoddart,

Agronomic Practices and Intercropping Systems

THE vegetative apex of red clover (Trifolium pratense, L.) is hemispherical, cutting off leaf initials by almost vertical divisions on alternate sides and producing internodes by basal elongation. At the beginning of floral initiation the apex enlarges and the florets then begin to appear as swellings near the base on the side proximal to the penultimate leaf. Each floret initial rapidly cuts off a bract initial which enlarges to cover the developing floret. The bract becomes hairy and if it is removed at this stage the developing ovary is exposed as a conical projection about 0.2 mm. in length, ringed at the base by cells which eventually develop to form the calyx, corolla, and nectaries. The pentamerous symmetry of the genus is apparent even at this early stage.