Megasporogenesis, Microsporogenesis and the Development of the Female and Male Gametophyte of Limonium gmelinii

The megasporogenesis, microsporogenesis and formation of female gametophyte and male gametophyte of Limonium gmelinii were reported in this paper. The main results can be concluded as follows: (1)The microspore mother cell underwent meiosis before it turned into microspore tetrad. Its cytokinesis was simultaneous type, tetrads were mostly tetrahedral, less frequently isobilateral. (2)The mature pollen grains was of the 3-celled type and each had three germ pores. (3)The anther wall were composed of five layers cell, They were epidermis, endothecium, middle layer (two layers) and tapetum respectively, It belonged to basic type, and the tapetum was amoeboid type. (4)The pistil was composed of five carpels, the ovary was coadnate, basal placenta, having only one circinotropous ovule, the ovule was crassinucellate and had two layers of integument; (5)The archesporial cell came from the nucellar cells under the nucellar epidermis and formed the sporogenous cell after a periclinal division, then the sporogenous cell developed into the megaspore mother cell directly, then the megaspore mother cell underwent meiosis and gave rise to a linear tetrad of megaspore, the chalazal megaspore was functional and developed into mature embryo sac. The development pattern of female gametophyte was of the Polygonum type.