The Anther
Form, Function and Phylogeny

A unique resource book on this important plant organ, which will remain germane for many years to come.

William G. D'Arcy (Edited by), Richard C. Keating (Edited by)

9780521120036, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 24 September 2009

364 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.9 cm, 0.53 kg

Review of the hardback: 'This is a most welcome book … I would recommend this as a very good reference book for those researchers involved in stamen studies be they morphological, phylogenetic or focused toward whatever aspect of staminal characteristics.' Paula M. Hermann

Despite its significance in the reproductive cycle of flowering plants, and its importance in helping to interpret plant evolution, the stamen, and its fertile, pollen-bearing part, the anther, have received relatively little scientific attention. To help begin to address this shortcoming the contributions in this volume, first published in 1996, give an indication of the kinds of studies now being undertaken with a view to stimulating further work on this neglected plant organ. Traditional and contemporary concepts of stamen construction, terminology and function are summarised, and an extensive bibliography gives access to relevant literature. Evidence for the evolution of the anther is drawn from the fossil record and from studies of its growth and structure, and the dynamics of stamen evolution is detailed for several families.

Preface
1. About anthers and stamens and what they do
2. The fossil history of stamens
3. The origin and early evolution of angiosperm stamens
4. Diversity and evolutionary trends in angiosperm anthers
5. Are stamens and carpels homologous?
6. Temporal control points in anther differentiation: implications for anther evolution
7. Diversity of endothecial patterns in the angiosperms
8. The oxalate package or so-called resorption tissue in some bee-pollinated angiosperms
9. Anther adaptations for animal pollination
10. Anther differentiation in the Asclepiadaceae: form and function
11. Stamen development in legumes with emphasis on porate stamens of Cassieae
12. Anther investigations: a review of methods
13. A bibliography of stamen morphology and anatomy
Index.

Subject Areas: Botany & plant sciences [PST]