TUBER ONTOGENY, MORPHOLOGY AND VEGETATIVE REPRODUCTION OF GLORIOSA-SUPERBA L

The ontogeny and morphology of the tuber of Gloriosa superba are inves tigated. This perennial organ (tuber) was previously classified as a r hizome, root stock or tuber. We consider this organ to be a hypopodial tuber mostly consisting of two metamorphous hypopodia with an apical bud enveloped by a prophyll, all covered by the remains of leaf bases. Separation of the mostly bilobed hypopodial tubers produced a higher percentage of flowering plants than undivided tubers.