• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.287-292
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• 2009

Recently, the consumption of mistletoe[Viscum album var. coloratum(Kom.) Ohwi] is increasing because of its good medical effectiveness with the increased concern on the natural medicines and foods. The result obtained from the investigation on the stem tissues of the mistletoe and the oriental chestnut oak, a host plant species, are as follows. Haustorium from the seeds of the mistletoe after their sticking to the branches of the host plant penetrates into the bark where it forms the endophyte system through the active cell division. The endophyte grown in the cambium of the host plant makes the stems and leaves as the outer tissues in a certain time. Even through lignification of the host wood in the branches the oriental chestnut oak was not progressive, its tylosis coas developed partially assembly due to the formation of the endophyte. The stems of the mistletoe consisted of vascular tracheid, selereid, and ray and axial parenchyma, classified as a hardwood without vessels. The vascular tracheids seemed to take a role instead of the vessels in the mistletoe plant from the result that the pits of the vessels in the host branches are linked to the vessel-form tracheid in the mistletoe stems. The constituent ratio of the sclereid cells in the mistletoe stems increased with aging. Furthermore their ratio of the parenchyma cells was higher, which contained the more cell content, compared with the cells of the general woody plant species.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.467-480
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• 2002

The development of the female gametophyte of Corydalis albipetala, C. ambigua, C. filistipes, C. nobilis, C. solida, C. ophiocarpa have been comparatively investigated using laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM) and light microscope. An archesporium was originated from one of the outmost parietal cells beneath the one-layered epidermis of protuberant nucellus, and acted directly as a megaspore mother cell (MMC). These species had linear tetrads after successional meiotic division during the megasprogenesis. A functional megasprore developed from one of the tetrad in the chalazal end, and the rest three being degenerated. The developmental type of the female gametophyte was monosporic in accordance with the Polygonum type. Prior to anthesis the female gametophyte was organized. So mature embryo sac was comprised a three-celled egg apparatus, three large antipodals were developed from the apex of each antipodal cell, and extended toward micropylar end to be contacted with egg apparatus. Two synergids were usually observed as degenerated condition, and in this time the apices of antipodal haustoria were connected with the degenerated synergids. The developmental characteristics of seven-nucleate female gametophytes were common in all the species investigated. But the shape of mature embryo sac was ovoidal in C. albipetala, C. filistipes, C. ophiocarpa and C. solida, reflexed in C. ambigua, and rather flattened ovoidal in C. nobilis. Also, the type of megasporangium was anatropous in all the species except C. ambigua with campylotropous ovule.