Experimentally Synthesized Plant Chimeras 3. Qualitative and Quantitative Characteristics of the Flowers of Interspecific Nicotiana Chimeras

Abstract

The flowers from a series of interspecific periclinal chimeras between Nicotiana glauca Grahm. and N. tabacum Su/su L. were quantitatively and qualitatively compared with the flowers of their component species and the sexual hybrid. Results indicate that the epidermal component of the chimeral flowers has the greatest influence on flower morphology and that each histogenic arrangement results in a unique flower morphology. When compared to interspecific hybrids a greater diversity of flower shapes, sizes and colours exists with periclinal chimeras, demonstrating that the experimental synthesis of chimeras between morphologically distinct components can be an important source of new phenotypes.