Apomixis in Coscinium fenestratum (Gaertn.) Colebr.

Abstract

Coscinium fenestratum is getting endangered due to the extensive exploitation for medicinal use. Irrespective to the profuse seed set, occurrence of seedlings in the wild is meager that prompted a seed study. As a dioecious liana, female plants bear fruits even in the absence of male plants in the vicinity and also the bagged unopened flower buds develop in to viable seeds. Absence of pollinators and air born pollen grains, development of single seed from tricarpillary gynoecium, all attributed for an enigmatic development. In consequence of curiosity, studies on pollen viability, pollen germination, pollen ovule ratio and embryological studies etc were conducted. Embryo formation was observed with 80% of the longitudinal microtome sections taken with 1st to 3rd week aged fruit primordia irrespective to the lack of pollen on the stigma and pollen tube entry into the stylar tube. Comparative molecular studies on mother plant and respective F1 seedlings revealed genetic identity that confirmed apomixis.