O que os estames revelam sobre Bromeliaceae? Uma comparação morfoanatômica entre as subfamílias

Abstract

Bromeliaceae is currently divided in eight subfamilies: Brocchinioideae, Lindmanioideae, Tillandsioideae, Hechtioideae, Navioideae, Pitcairnioideae, Puyoideae and Bromelioideae. General data on stamens are poorly known and neglected for the family as a whole. The morphoanatomy of 23 species belonging to the eight subfamilies was analyzed and a review of the androecial organization was carried out. The presence of adnation between stamens and other whorls occurs in all subfamilies, except in Puyoideae, which has stamens always free. The conation between stamens is present in Dyckia (Pitcairnioideae) and Bromelia (Bromelioideae). Staminodes are characteristic of Hechtioideae. All the analyzed species presented bitecas anthers with four loci and longitudinal dehiscence. Almost all species showed raphides in the anthers, in variable locations. In addition to being found in the thecal arc, thickening is also present in the dorsal connective region in some species. Elongated cells are found in the anthers septum in species of Bromelioideae. The diverse characteristics analyzed here for the subfamilies need more research due to the existing variability and also due to the lack of knowledge about the floral development of the characteristics approached.