Floral Vasculature and Morphology of Ochna Serrulata(Hochst.) Walp

Vascular supply of flower of Ochna serrulata shows that 9–10 vascular bundles in the pedicel supply three traces to each sepal, a median and two laterals, (sepal marginals), petal and staminal traces are conjoint. Five free petals receive a trace each which is composite having 3–5 bundles. Numerous free stamens borne on anthophores are arranged in three whorls and each stamen gets 3–5 bundles from the conjoint bundles. Carpels are 6–10, fused at the base but free upward. The carpels are spherical and their fused style is gynobasic. The capillary bundles are, one dorsal bundle, many lateral bundles and an ovular bundle. The ovular bundle directly enter into the stalk of the ovule. The dorsal bundle and marginal bundles traverse through out the wall of the carpels, ascend and then take downward turn before entering the deeply based style. The carpellary bundles in the style run up to stigmatic base. In the basal region the dorsal surface of adjacent carpels are fused and the ventral surface is free, a little higher up the dorsal surfaces are free, but the ventral surfaces are fused before extending to the style. Thus at the base the ovary is unilocular but later it becomes multilocular. Single ovule in each locule receives a vascular supply arising directly from the carpellary supply. The placentation here is described as basal.