STRUCTURAL AND CYTOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STIGMA AND STYLE IN VITIS-VINIFERA L VAR SANGIOVESE (VITACEAE)

Studies were carried out on structural and cytochemical aspects of the stigma and style of Vitis vinifera. The stigma is of the wet papillat e type with a continuous cuticle and pellicle. During the development of the papillae, the cell walls increase in thickness and produce a se cretion product constituted of lipids that pass through the wall formi ng the exudate. The style is solid with a central core of transmitting tissue which has conspicuous intercellular spaces that increase remar kably from the periphery to the centre where the cuticle is present. T he intercellular spaces, where the pollen tubes grow, contain a matrix that includes polysaccharides, pectic substances and scattered areas of lipidic nature. (C) 1996 Annals of Botany Company