Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Æstivation in Malvaceae

Abstract

THE æstivation of the corolla of a flower of the family Malvaceae is distinctly twisted (contorted) in bud, the condition generally persisting even after the opening of the flower. A striking peculiarity of the æstivation is that in about half the number of flowers of any plant of any species of this family, the petals are twisted clockwise and the rest in a counter-clockwise fashion. The family comprises 1,200 species1 or more2.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Porter, C. L., Taxonomy of Flowering Plants (W. H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco, 1959).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Lawrence, G. H. M., Taxonomy of Vascular Plants (Macmillan Co., New York, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Rendle, A. B., The Classification of Flowering Plants, 2, Dicotyledons (Camb. Univ. Press, 1959).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Davis, T. A., J. Genet., 58, 42 (1962).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Davis, T. A., J. Genet., 58, 186 (1963).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Hooker, J. D., Flora of British India, 1 (L. Reeve and Co., London, 1872).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Eichler, Blütendiagramme, 2, Fig. 115 A, 1878 (original not seen).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

DAVIS, T. Æstivation in Malvaceae. Nature 201, 515–516 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/201515a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/201515a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing