The centre of a double flower of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum. The picture shows a mass of tepals (petal-like lamellae, dusty pink) surrounding
The centre of a double flower of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum. The picture shows a mass of tepals (petal-like lamellae, dusty pink) surrounding the (green) central gynoecium - the female reproductive tissue of the flower. Also visible are thin threads, some with small particles on their surface. These are abnormally developed anthers. Double flowers arise when the development pathway is altered by genetic change. A single flower typically has sepals covering the bud, within which develop first a ring of petals, then a ring of stamens and anthers, with the gynoecium at the centre. In double flowers this sequence is disrupted so that instead of stamens, the developing flower produces tepals. The switch from stamens to tepals is not total, which is illustrated here. In a single poppy flower, there are scores of anthers, and only four petals
Size: 3468px × 5212px
Photo credit: © DR JEREMY BURGESS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: anther, development, double, flower, gene, gynoecium, opium, papaver, petal, plant, poppy, somniferum, tepal
