Date of Award
Fall 1971
Document Type
Dissertation - Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Biological Sciences
First Advisor
Dr. William F. Millington
Second Advisor
Dr. Eugene S. McDonough
Third Advisor
Dr. Ellen M. Rasch
Abstract
Before fertilization in angiosperms can be effected the transport of the male gametes to the embryo sac must be accomplished. The pollen grain containing the male gametes must first germinate on the stigma surface of the pistil. The growing pollen tube must then penetrate the stigma tissue, grow in the style, and reach the embryo sac where the male gametes are released. In some species of Liliztm the distance the pollen tube must travel is about 15 cm. This unidirectional growth of pollen tube through female sporophytic tissue suggests a mutual relationship between the pollen tube and the pistil. The pistil must supply the factors necessary for germination and growth of the pollen tube plus a guiding factor(s) to insure fertilization.
A study of the developing stigmatoid tissue of the pistil was undertaken in order to correlate structure with function of the tissue. Stigmatoid tissue in various stages of development and maturation has been investigated with the aid of electron and light optics in conjunction with cytochemical techniques.