Abstract
Citrus limon has a “wet” stigma which can be divided in two zones: a glandular superficial one formed by papillae, and a non-glandular one formed by parenchymatic cells. The stigmatic exudate is produced by the papillae after the latter have reached their ultimate size. The papillae of the mature pistil are of varying size and composition. Both the unicellular and multicellular ones are present. The cells at the base of the papillae are rich in cytoplasm, whereas the tip cells are vacuolated. Histochemical analysis has shown that the exudate of Citrus is composed of lipids, polysaccharides, and proteins. Our results indicate that the lipidic component is produced and secreted first, followed by production and secretion of the polysaccharidic component. The lipidic component of the exudate is produced in the basal papillae cells and accumulates as droplets in dilated parts of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER). Subsequently the lipid droplets are transported to the plasma membrane, and transferred by the latter into the cell walls. Then the exudate component is accumulated in the intercellular spaces and in the middle lamellar regions of the walls. Subsequently, the polysaccharidic component of the exudate is produced and secreted by the tip cells of the papillae.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- RER:
-
rough endoplasmic reticulum
- SER:
-
smooth endoplasmic reticulum
References
Barka, T., Anderson, P. (1962) Histochemistry: theory, practica and bibliography. Harper & Row, New York
Ciampolini, F., Cresti, M., Sarfatti, G., Tiezzi, A. (1981) Ultrastructure of the stylar canal cells of Citrus limon (Rutaceae). Plant System. Evol. 130, 263–274
de Nettancourt, D. (1977) Incompatibility in angiosperms. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Dumas, C., Perrin, A., Rougier, M., Zandonella, P. (1974) Some ultrastructural aspects of different vegetal glandular tissues. Proc. Int. Symp. Plant Cell Differentiation, pp. 501–520, Lisbon
Dumas, C., Rougier, M., Zandonella, P., Ciampolini, F., Cresti, M., Pacini, E. (1978) The secretory stigma of Lycopersicon peruvianum Mill.: ontogenesis and glandular activity. Protoplasma 96, 173–187
Fahn, A. (1979) Secretory tissues in plants. Academic Press, London New York
Feder, N., O'Brien, T.P. (1968) Plant microtechnique: some principles and new methods. Am. J. Bot. 55, 123–142
Gori, P. (1977) Ponceau 2R staining on semi-thin sections of tissues fixed in glutaraldehyde-osmium tetroxide and embedded in epoxy resins. J. Microsc. 110, 103–105
Heslop-Harrison, J. (1975) Incompatibility and the pollenstigma interaction. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 26, 403–425
Heslop-Harrison, J., Heslop-Harrison, Y. (1980) The pollen stigma interaction in the grasses. I. Fine-structure and cytochemistry of the stigmas of Hordeum and Secale. Acta Bot. Neerl. 29, 261–276
Heslop-Harrison, J., Heslop-Harrison, Y., Barber, J. (1975) The stigma surface in incompatibility responses. Proc. R. Soc., Lond. B 188:287–297
Heslop-Harrison, Y., Shivanna, K.R. (1977) The receptive surface of the angiosperm stigma. Ann. Bot. 41, 1233–1258
Jensen, W.A. (1962) Botanical histochemistry. Freeman. San Francisco London
Jensen, W.A., Fisher, D.B. (1969) Cotton embryogenesis: the tissues of the stigma and style and their relation to the pollen tube. Planta 84, 97–121
Konar, R.N., Linskens, H.F. (1966a) Physiology and biochemistry of the stigmatic fluid of Petunia hybrida. Planta 71, 356–387
Konar, R.N., Linskens, H.F. (1966b) The morphology and anatomy of the stigma of Petunia hybrida. Planta 71, 356–371
Kristen, V., Biedermann, M., Liebezeit, G., Dawson, R., Böhm, L. (1979) The composition of stigmatic exudate and the ultrastructure of the stigma papillae in Apteria cordifolia. Eur. J. Cell Biol. 19, 281–287
Kroh, M. (1967) Bildung und Transport des Narbensekrets von Petunia hybrida. Planta 77, 250–260
Linskens, H.F., Heinen, W. (1962) Cutinase-Nachweis in Pollen. Z. Bot. 50, 338–347
Martin, F.W. (1969) Compounds from the stigmas of ten species. Am. J. Bot. 56, 1023–1027
Martin, F.W., Brewbaker, J.L. (1971) The nature of the stigmatic exudate and its role in pollen germination. In: Pollen development and physiology, pp. 262–266, Heslop-Harrison, J., ed. Butterworth, London
Mattsson, O., Knox, R.B., Heslop-Harrison, J., Heslop-Harrison, Y. (1974) Protein pellicle of stigmatic papillae as a probable recognition site in incompatibility reactions. Nature 247, 298–300
Pearse, A.G.E. (1972) Histochemistry, theoretical and applied, vol. 2. Churchill, Edinburg London
Schnepf, E. (1974) Gland cells. In: Dynamic aspects of plant ultrastructure, pp. 331–347, Robards, A.W., ed. McGraw-Hill, London New York
Sedgley, M., Buttrose, M.S. (1979) Structure of the stigma and style of the Avocado. Aust. J. Bot. 26, 663–682
Spurr, A.R. (1969) A low viscosity epoxy resin embedding medium for electron microscopy. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 26, 31–43
Thiéry, J.P. (1967) Mise en evidence des polysaccharides sur coupe fine en microscopie éléctronique. J. Microsc. 6, 987–1018
Tilton, V.R., Horner, H.T. (1980) Stigma, style and obturator of Ornithogalum caudatum (Liliaceae) and their function in the reproductive process. Am. J. Bot. 67, 1113–1131
Vasil, I.K. (1974) The histology and physiology of pollen germination and pollen tube growth on the stigma and in the style. In: Fertilization in higher plants, pp. 105–118, Linskens, H.F., ed. North Holland, Amsterdam
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cresti, M., Ciampolini, F., van Went, J.L. et al. Ultrastructure and histochemistry of Citrus limon (L.) stigma. Planta 156, 1–9 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393436
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393436