Fig. 5

Flower and fruit development stages of Bocconia frutescens shown in SEM and anatomical sections. a Inflorescence apex with floral primordia in stage 1 and floral buds during sepal initiation in stage 2. b, c Floral buds in the stage 3 during stamen initiation in the second whorl. d, e Floral buds in the stage 4 during stamen initiation in the next three inner whorls. f, g Floral buds in stage 5 during carpel initiation. h, i Floral buds in stage 6 during when the ovule is formed. j, k Floral buds in stage 7 during stigma elongation. l–n Floral buds in stages 8 and 9 during carpel proximo-distal differentiation. Note the formation of the gynophore, the valves and the commissural ring. o–s Cross sections of B. frutescens fruits. o–p Young fruits (stage 10) with close up to the dehiscence zone in a young fruit (3 mm diameter), right after anthesis in the center (o) and the tip (p). q–s Mature fruits at stage 11 with close up to the dehiscence zone, the commissural ring and its main vascular bundle (q, r) and fruit wall (s) of a more mature fruit (6 mm diameter) of B. frutescens. 1: stage 1, 2: stage 2, c carpel, cr commissural ring, gy gynoecium, o ovule, s sepal, st stamen, sy stigma, v valve, *: first pair of stamens that appear in the place of petals. Arrows indicate the dehiscence zone. Scale bars: 10 μm (b, d), 40 μm (r, s) 50 μm (c, e, q), 100 μm (a, f, g, h, i, j, k, o, p), 200 μm (l), 250 μm (n, o), 500 μm (m)