ABSTRACT
Anatomy of staminate and pistillate flowers from Smilax fluminensis L. is presented with objective to supply data to identify the species. Pedicel and tepals are anatomically similar in both flowers. The staminate flowers have six stamens. Two of them present two collateral bundles, while the other four have only one. Anthers are bisporangiated, introrse, with longitudinal dehiscent aperture. Nectaries and osmophorous are found in both flowers. Nectaries are present on the apex of the tepals, stamens and the adaxial surface of the stigma; osmophorous occur on tepals and in the basis of filament. Pistillate flowers have six staminodies that haven’t vascular tissues. Gynoecium is syncarp, tricarpellate and presents one ovule per loculus. Three sessile and sulcated stigmas are present. Each carpel presents a dorsal and ventral vascular bundles that supply stigma and ovule, respectively. The occasional difference in the number of the stamens (six-seven) and the fact that two of them are supplied by two vascular bundles, suggest a reduction of the stamens during evolution.
Key-words:
flower anatomy; vascular tissue; gynoecium; androecium