The genus Cinnamomum

48 P.N. Ravindran et al.
series which supply the inner whorls of stamens. The outer bundles again divide
tangentially and form the bundles for stamens towards the inner side and for the tepals
towards the outer side (Fig. 2.13, 4–5).
The six tepals are differentiated in two whorls of three each. All tepals are supplied
with three bundles each. Of the four whorls of stamens, the outer two have one bundle
each, and the inner two three bundles each (Fig. 2.13, 6–7). The third whorl of stamens
has two lateral outgrowths (glands). Each of these stamens is supplied with a single
vascular bundle at its base. However, this bundle gives off one trace each laterally
towards its two sides, which diverge out to supply the flattened lateral outgrowths of
stamens of this whorl. Higher up this whorl has only one central bundle. The glands
are traversed by a number of minute bundles, which are formed by the splitting of
the primary bundles. At this level staminodes appear curved in T.S. and the single
vascular bundle in each of them divides laterally to form two branches on either side
so that the staminodes come to possess a number of bundles (Fig. 2.13, 7–8). These
bundles traverse upwards for a short distance and then disappear, so that at their upper
parts the staminodes also show only one bundle.
Vascular supply to the ovules consists of two prominent bundles, one dorsal and one
compound ventral, and several smaller secondary marginal bundles. The single ovular
supply arises from the compound ventral bundle. The secondary marginals disappear at
various levels of the ovary, so that the upper part of the carpel is supplied with only
the dorsal and the compound ventral, both of which enter the style and the reduced
stigma (Fig. 2.13, 8–9).
From the floral anatomical point of view the trimerous androecium is the most interesting
part of the cinnamon flower. Saunders (1939) claims that stamens in Lauraceae
resulted from chorosis. Recee (1939), on the other hand, considered them to be derived
from an original branched type by the process of reduction. Sastri (1952) reported the
presence of glandular outgrowths for third and fourth whorls (in C. iners), though the
fourth whorl is staminodal in nature. Shylaja (1984) found that in all the South Indian
species studied only the third whorl of stamens is flanked by glands, except in the case
of C. macrocarpum. In C. verum Shylaja (1984) observed that even though the staminodes
are not provided with glands, the vascular traces entering each of them divide to form
three bundles, of which the two laterals disappear quickly so that at a higher level only
the median trace is found, which then split into a number of minute strands. The lateral
splitting of the vascular trace of staminodes possibly indicates the existence of lateral
glands (as in a few other species) that might have disappeared in C. verum, though the
three-trace condition of the vasculature still persists. The fasciculated nature of the
stamens and the transformation of the inner whorl of stamens into staminodes are primitive
characteristics (Eames, 1961).
The ovary was regarded tricarpellary by Eames and multicarpellary by Sastri (1952),
though it appeared to be monocarpellary. In C. iners, Sastri (1952) reported more than
two bundles, though only two (dorsal and ventral) continued their course into style.
Sastri (1952) also noted that the vascular supply to the ovary consisted of a dorsal and
a ventral trace only, indicating fusion of the two ventral traces.
Embryology
The earlier studies were those of Tackholm and Soderberg (1917) in C. seiboldi, who
recorded a polygonum type of embryosac development. Giviliani (1928) reported the