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Menispermaceae is one of the core groups of Ranunculales. The single fertile ovule in each ovary in Menispermaceae varies greatly in integument number, micropyle formation, and integument lobe. However, data regarding ovule morphogenesis in the family are very limited. In this study, we document ovule development of selected species in the Menispermaceae using scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. Ovule development in Menispermaceae shows the following characteristics. Two ovules are initiated in a young carpel, one of them degenerates gradually and the other develops into a fertile ovule in subsequent stages. Bitegmic in Sinomenium Diels. and Cocculus DC. and unitegmic in Stephania Lour. The formation of unitegmy is probably due to integumentary shifting. The annularly initiated inner integument is of dermal origin and has 2–3 cell layers in the family, but the semi‐annularly initiated outer integument is of both dermal and subdermal origin. Both inner and outer integument are cup‐shaped at maturity. The cup‐shaped outer integument is formed due to the outer integument's extension to the concave (adaxial) side of the funiculus. The obturator is well developed and consists of 2–3 cell layers in Cocculus or 9–11 cell layers in Stephania. Ovule development of Menispermaceae suggests some common characteristics between Cocculus and Sinomenium, and derived unitegmy supports molecular data that indicate Stephania is one of the late‐diverging lineages in the family. Integument lobations are present. The sterile ovule shows variations in the degeneration process. These results will provide evidence for exploring the evolution of ovules in Ranunculales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Preliminary field observations in 2001 and 2002 suggested that Kingdonia uniflora (Circaeasteraceae, Ranunculales) exhibits heterodichogamy, an unusual kind of reproductive heteromorphy, hitherto unreported in Ranunculales and known from only one other genus in basal eudicots. Methods During several subsequent years flowers were observed in the field. Flowers were fixed in FAA and studied with microtome sections series and with the scanning electron microscope. Key Results The flowers proved to be heterodichogamous, with protandrous and protogynous morphs, which have a 1 : 1 ratio. Both morphs equally set fruit. Each year a single flower is formed at the tip of a rhizome or more rarely two flowers. The flowers are already open when they appear at the soil surface, before they are receptive and before pollen is dispersed. In both floral morphs the styles elongate early and the stigmas are positioned above the anthers before anthesis begins. In protogynous flowers the stigmas become receptive in this position; later the styles become reflexed and then the anthers dehisce. In contrast, in protandrous flowers the stamen filaments elongate during early anthesis such that the dehiscing anthers come to lie above the (still unreceptive) stigmas; after dehiscence of all anthers in a flower the styles begin to elongate and become receptive. Conclusions This is the first record of heterodichogamy in a representative of Ranunculales, in an herbaceous eudicot, and in a plant with uniflorous ramets. The occurrence of heterodichogamy in Kingdonia in which clonal reproduction appears to be dominant might be an adaptation to avoid mating between the ramets from a common mother individual (genet). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Lardizabalaceae, one of seven families of Ranunculales, represent a monophyletic group. The family has functionally unisexual flowers with the organs in trimerous whorls, petaloid sepals and sometimes nectariferous petals. Among Ranunculales, Lardizabalaceae share several floral characters and climbing habit with Menispermaceae, but molecular analyses indicate that Circaeasteraceae and Lardizabalaceae form a strongly supported clade. Morphological and ontogenetic studies of flowers have proved to be a good complement to molecular data in clarifying relationships. Floral organogenesis has been studied in very few species of the family. This study investigates the comparative floral development of three species from three genera ( Decaisnea, Akebia and Holboellia) of Lardizabalaceae using scanning electron microscopy. Flowers have a whorled phyllotaxis. Within each whorl, the organs are initiated either simultaneously or in a rapid spiral sequence. In Akebia, six sepals are initiated, but one to three sepals of the second whorl do not further develop. The presence of three sepals in Akebia is thus a developmentally secondary simplification. The petals (if present) are retarded in early developmental stages; stamens and petals are different in shape from the beginning of development. The retarded petals may not be derived from staminodes in Lardizabalaceae. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, , 171-184. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]