Early floral development of Adinandra latifolia (Theaceae)

The floral development of the plant in Theaceae, Adinandra latifolia H.T.Chang has been observed under scanning electron microscope (SEM) for the first time up to date. Both perianth and 5 clusters of stamens are initiated 2/5 spirally and centripetally and in the same order either clockwise or anticlockwise in the same flower;5 clusters of stamen primordia are initiated directly on the ring-like primordium and each cluster of stamens is initiated from middle to two ends;under the axile-central placenta formed by five carpels,there is a deuterogenic fertile placenta initiated directly at the base of the same ovary. The floral development of A.latifolia is distinctly different from Euryodendron excelsum in Ternstroemioideae,so the present work provides evidence from floral organogenesis about the further study on the phylogeny of subfamily Ternstroemioideae even of Theaceae.