Phenology and branching in eight selected species of the genus Cliffortia

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dc.contributor.advisorLinder, Peter Wen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorFellingham, Anna Catherinaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-04-22T13:39:55Z
dc.date.available2016-04-22T13:39:55Z
dc.date.issued1999en_ZA
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractTo date the peculiarities of the inflorescence structure in the wind-pollinated genus Cliffortia (Rosaceae), has gone unnoticed. In this study stereo microscope examination and sketching of fresh and dried specimens, combined with extensive field observations, were performed on eight species of the genus. In its simplest form the inflorescence is a reduced short shoot, bearing a lateral e-bracteate flower and a potentially viable apical bud. Variations in the basic structure can be in the number of flowers, the mix of the sexes of the flowers and the number and type of short shoots as primary, secondary and tertiary axes. A high incidence of structural plasticity of the inflorescence exists. Structural changes can take place throughout the development of the inflorescence or only at the onset of the vegetative stage. These changes occur in the short shoot(s) constituting the axes of the inflorescence, causing either an increase in the length of the internodes, apical proliferation of the axes or a combination of these two effects. A specific combination of changes is linked to a specific inflorescence type. The vegetative elements of the inflorescence thus modified, are retained as an integral part of the vegetative branching system, instead of being discarded after the shedding of the fruits. Thus the inflorescence disappears without being discarded, while the integration of the inflorescence matrix into the vegetative elements of the plant, has a marked effect on the vegetative branching pattern. In some species the structural changes in the inflorescence are linked to changes in the predominance of one sex over the other over time, so that an individual, initially of the one sex, can become one of the opposite sex by the end of the season. In the past the erroneous interpretation of a single point in the process of a sex change as if it is a permanent state of sexuality, led to the prevalent acceptance of dioecy as the norm for the genus, while in truth, it is monoecy with dichogamy in this genus, as in many other wind-pollinated taxa.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationFellingham, A. C. (1999). <i>Phenology and branching in eight selected species of the genus Cliffortia</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19146en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationFellingham, Anna Catherina. <i>"Phenology and branching in eight selected species of the genus Cliffortia."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19146en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationFellingham, A. 1999. Phenology and branching in eight selected species of the genus Cliffortia. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Fellingham, Anna Catherina AB - To date the peculiarities of the inflorescence structure in the wind-pollinated genus Cliffortia (Rosaceae), has gone unnoticed. In this study stereo microscope examination and sketching of fresh and dried specimens, combined with extensive field observations, were performed on eight species of the genus. In its simplest form the inflorescence is a reduced short shoot, bearing a lateral e-bracteate flower and a potentially viable apical bud. Variations in the basic structure can be in the number of flowers, the mix of the sexes of the flowers and the number and type of short shoots as primary, secondary and tertiary axes. A high incidence of structural plasticity of the inflorescence exists. Structural changes can take place throughout the development of the inflorescence or only at the onset of the vegetative stage. These changes occur in the short shoot(s) constituting the axes of the inflorescence, causing either an increase in the length of the internodes, apical proliferation of the axes or a combination of these two effects. A specific combination of changes is linked to a specific inflorescence type. The vegetative elements of the inflorescence thus modified, are retained as an integral part of the vegetative branching system, instead of being discarded after the shedding of the fruits. Thus the inflorescence disappears without being discarded, while the integration of the inflorescence matrix into the vegetative elements of the plant, has a marked effect on the vegetative branching pattern. In some species the structural changes in the inflorescence are linked to changes in the predominance of one sex over the other over time, so that an individual, initially of the one sex, can become one of the opposite sex by the end of the season. In the past the erroneous interpretation of a single point in the process of a sex change as if it is a permanent state of sexuality, led to the prevalent acceptance of dioecy as the norm for the genus, while in truth, it is monoecy with dichogamy in this genus, as in many other wind-pollinated taxa. DA - 1999 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1999 T1 - Phenology and branching in eight selected species of the genus Cliffortia TI - Phenology and branching in eight selected species of the genus Cliffortia UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19146 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/19146
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationFellingham AC. Phenology and branching in eight selected species of the genus Cliffortia. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 1999 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/19146en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherBotanyen_ZA
dc.titlePhenology and branching in eight selected species of the genus Cliffortiaen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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