Division of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwar-5.
Caesalpinia pulcherrima and C. pulcherrima var. flava flower round the year with peak during month of May. The first bud in the panicie of Caesalpinia pulcherrima took 9.2 days (from visible initiation) for development of flower. In both the species studied the anthesis commenced at 6.00 A.M. and continued till 8.00 A.M. with peak of anthesis at commencement itself. There was no anthesis before 6.00 A.M. and after 8.00 A.M. The anther dehiscence commenced at 7.00 A.M. and was maximum at 9.00 A.M. There was no anther dehiscence after 11.00 AM. and up to 7.00 A.M. The stigma was receptive in Caesalpinia pulcherrima from a day prior to opening of the flower and continued up to 2 days after opening of the flower with the most receptive condition on the days of opening of the flower. From the 3rd day after opening of the flower the stigma was non-receptive. The pollen grain size was 65 μ in Caesalpinia pulcherrima and 64 ¼ in C. pulcherrima var. flava. The pollen shape was round in both the species. The pollen germination was maximum under 10 per cent sucrose and minimum was in water in both the species.
