Morphology and anatomy of the development fruit and seed of <I>Asclepias curassavica</I> L. (Asclepiadaceae)

Abstract

Asclepias curassavica L. (Asclepiadaceae) is herbaceous wildflower that occurs in pasture. The divergence of classification of its fruit among different authors, and the little interests in the seed research of Asclepiadaceae motivated the present study. Flowers and fruits in severa1 development stages were sectioned by microtome or by freehand, analyzed and documented in microscope, carried out according to the usual techniques in plant anatomy. The fruit is aggregate, with one or two follicle fruitlet. The exocarp and endocarp are epidemic, and mesocarp is parenchymatous and collenchymatous. Seed is exotestal and originates from anatropous, unitegmic and tenuinucellate ovule. Coma is formed by long and unicellular hairs that originates from epidermic cells integument, located between the funiculus and micropyle.