Ultrastructure and Carotenoid Composition of Chromoplasts of the Sepals of Strelitzia reginae Aiton during Floral Development

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Abstract
Ontogenetic development of chromoplasts from the coloured outer perianth segments of the flower of Strelitzia reginae was examined with an electron microscope. The plastids evolved through five stages, namely, colourless leucoplasts, chloroplasts, pale yellow, deep yellow and orange chromoplasts. The relationship between plastid ultrastructure and carotenoid composition is discussed. The development of fibrils from osmiophilic globules is shown to occur in chromoplasts which contained only small amounts of chlorophyll at an early stage of development. Regular lattices of globular subunits were found which showed a hexagonal or rhomboidal pattern and which are probably protein in nature. The sudden disappearance of these crystals just before fibrils form, and the complete absence of starch from all stages of plastid development, suggests that these crystals are a form of energy storage.

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