6533b7d3fe1ef96bd1260117

RESEARCH PRODUCT

MORPHOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF GALLS IN GENISTA FLORIDA L. SUBSP. POLYGALIPHYLLA (BROT.) COUTHINO (LEGUMINOSAE)

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This paper describes the morphology and anatomy of a structure which appears in the floral racemes of Genista florida L. subsp. polygaliphylla (Brot.) Couthino. In this subspecies the floral racemes have a small number of flowers. This structure develops quite frequently in this taxon, which is found in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, but never in Genista florida subsp. florida. Its morphology is simple: bottle-shaped, wide at the base and elongated to a narrow peak at the upper extreme. Anatomical examination shows that these structures have a close similarity to flowers. Since they develop by the oviposition of one insect of the Cecidomyiidae family in the floral buds, they can be considered galls. This fact is of great interest in the taxonomy of the group because the number of flowers is a differential character between the two subspecies of G. florida.