The thesis is dedicated to the study of flower morphology and vascular anatomy of Hyacinthaceae Batsch. The research is based on the flower structure analysis in 15 species of 13 genera, related to subfamilies Hyacinthoideae, Ornithogaloideae, Urgineoideae and Oziroëoideae that represent the main morphological types of hyacinth flowers. Entirely new data of the gynoecium micromorphology were obtained, as well as the types of perigonium structure, androecium, gynoecium and types of flower vascular system were established.
Among the studied representatives of the Hyacinthaceae, four types of perigonium and androecium organization were identified. The first type is characterized
by the free tepals and free stamens (Ledebouria socialis (Massonieae/Hyacinthoideae), Ornithogalum fimbriatum, O. dubium, O. orthophyllum subsp. kochii (Ornithogaleae/Ornithogaloideae)). The second type is characterized by the fact that in the flower the tepals and stamens are fused at the base (Scilla bifolia, Barnardia japonica (Hyacintheae/Hyacinthoideae), Fusifilum physodes, Bowiea volubilis (Urgineoideae) and Oziroё biflora (Oziroёoideae)). Third type is characterized by a short flower tube (less than ½ of the tepals length) of fused tepals and stamens (Puschkinia sciloides (Hyacintheae/Hyacinthoideae), Drimiopsis maculata (Massonieae/Hyacinthoideae), Geschollia anomala (Urgineoideae)). In Puschkinia sciloides outer tepals form a short tube. Fourth type is characterized by a long flower tube of fused tepals (greater than or equal to ½ of the tepals length) and stamens (Galtonia viridiflora, Dipcadi brevifolium (Dipcadieae /Ornithogaloideae) and Veltheimia bracteata (Massonieae / Hyacinthoideae)).
In most species, axile placentation was found in the lower portion and parietal in the upper portion of the ovary, in Ornithogalum dubium, Galtonia viridiflora, Dipcadi brevifolium and Fusifilum physodes only parietal placentation occurs.
It has been found that for representatives of Oziroëoideae, Ornithogaloideae funicular obturators are characteristic, and for representatives of Urgineoideae, Hyacinthoideae – placental-funicular obturators. Varying degree of style channel fusion in representatives of the Hyacinthaceae is confirmed.
For the first time, the type of septal nectaries was determined for the studied species and the characters of secretory epidermis were described. The Hyacinthaceae family is characterized by septal nectaries, in which the septal fissures reach the base of the ovary and open outward at the base of the style, or extend from the middle of the ovary to its roof and open in the upper third of the ovary. Glandular epidermal cells are relatively small, more or less isodiametric; slightly elongated parallel to the surface of the nectary or vertically to its surface.
Based on the analysis of the vertical structure of gynoecium and septal nectaries, it was found hemisyncarpous gynoecium with common septal nectary type is in Ledebouria socialis, Drimiopsis maculata, Veltheimia bracteata, Bowiea volubilis, Oziroё biflora, syncarpous gynoecium with common septal nectary type – in Scilla bifolia, Puschkinia sciloides, Ornithogalum fimbriatum, O. dubium, O. orthophyllum subsp. kochii, Galtonia viridiflora, Dipcadi brevifolium Geschollia anomala, Fusifilum physodes, syncarpous gynoecium with distinct septal nectary type – in Barnardia japonica. Zone of distinct nectary in the form of three separate cavities, not connected by epidermis is first detected in the structure of the septal nectaries of Scilla bifolia, Barnardia japonica, Veltheimia bracteata, Ornithogalum fimbriatum, O. dubium, O. orthophyllum subsp. kochii, Galtonia viridiflora, Dipcadi brevifolium, Fusifilum physodes, Oziroe biflora.
It is established that the flower vascular system of the studied species is organized as in a flower with free flower organs, i.e. traces of stamens and tepals are single- bundles, always formed in the receptacle, the carpel trace composed of one dorsal and two ventral bundles or one dorsal, two lateral and two ventral bundles. There are five types of organization of the gynoecium vascular system, four of which differ in the organization of the carpels ventral bundles.
According to the analysis of the morphological structure and vascular anatomy of the flower, the features that allow to expand the database for taxonomic and phylogenetic analysis of Hyacinthaceae were revealed. Among the identified characters are characters of external morphology of the flower, micromorphology and vertical zonality of the gynoecium, the septal nectary structure and flower vascular anatomy.
