Reproductive Behavior of Pennisetum macrostachyum Benth., and a New Basic Chromosome Number in the Genus Pennisetum

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Abstract
P. macrostachyum is a tetraploid (2n = 68), with a new basic chromosome number n = 17. Microsporogenesis is normal and 34 bivalents are formed regularly during diakinesis. Meiotic I and II divisions, being normal, lead to the formation of a tetrad of 4 cells with 97% viable pollen. The hypodermal archesporial cell functions directly as the megaspore mother cell. Megasporogenesis and embryo sac formation are of the monosporic 8-nucleate type. The 3 antipodal cells by further division give rise to either 6-8 nucleate antipodal cells or 6-12 cellular antipodals. In a few embryo sacs, the egg divides autonomously and precociously, forming a multicelled embryo, whereas the secondary nucleus remains below the egg or towards the side of the embryo.

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