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Plants
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Plant Morphology, Anatomy, and Embryology: Current Research and Future Directions
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Plant Morphology, Anatomy, and Embryology: Current Research and Future Directions

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Development and Morphogenesis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 3014

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Ana Maria González

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (UNNE–CONICET), Sargento Cabral 2131, CP 3400 Corrientes, Argentina
Interests: plant anatomy and embryology in angiosperms with emphasis on glandular structures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Angiosperms and other land plants exhibit remarkable structural diversity that extends from the architecture of individual cells to the organization of entire organs, while their reproductive programs integrate form and function across multiple scales. This Special Issue welcomes studies that illuminate how plant morphology and anatomy underpin developmental and embryological processes in both vegetative and reproductive organs, across model and non-model taxa, crops, and wild species.

We particularly encourage contributions that combine classical histology with cutting-edge imaging (CLSM, SEM/TEM, micro-CT/3D reconstruction), quantitative morphometrics and computational phenotyping in addition to works that integrate structural evidence with genetic, transcriptomic or physiological data. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following: the organogenesis of floral and fruit tissues; sporogenesis, gametogenesis, fertilization, and early seed development; secretory and protective structures; structure–function in xylem/phloem; developmental plasticity under climate stress; and evo-devo links between morphological innovation and phylogeny.

We welcome original research, reviews, methods, and perspectives that (i) resolve long-standing structural questions, (ii) reveal mechanisms connecting structure and development, or (iii) showcase reproducible workflows and open data for 3D/quantitative anatomy. By bridging morphology, anatomy and embryology, this Special Issue aims to chart future directions for a truly integrative plant developmental biology—one that explains how structures arise, perform, and evolve.

Prof. Dr. Ana Maria González
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • plant morphology
  • vegetative and reproductive anatomy
  • embryology
  • sporogenesis
  • ovule/pollen development
  • double fertilization
  • seed/fruit development
  • secretory structures
  • micro-CT
  • confocal microscopy
  • ultrastructure
  • geometric morphometrics
  • climate resilience

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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14 pages, 5447 KB  
Article
Inside a Dual Secretory Cell: Ultrastructural Insights into Mucilage and Phenolic Secretion in Mimosa Species (Leguminosae)
by Thaís Alves De Sousa, Thais Cury De Barros, Leonardo Maurici Borges and Simone Pádua Teixeira
Plants 2026, 15(11), 1592; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15111592 - 22 May 2026
Abstract
The co-occurrence of mucilage and phenolic compounds within the same secretory cell is rarely documented in plants. Recently, such cells were reported in vegetative and floral organs of sensitive legumes (Mimosa), but without detailed subcellular analysis. To address this gap, we [...] Read more.
The co-occurrence of mucilage and phenolic compounds within the same secretory cell is rarely documented in plants. Recently, such cells were reported in vegetative and floral organs of sensitive legumes (Mimosa), but without detailed subcellular analysis. To address this gap, we used transmission electron microscopy to examine the organelles involved in biosynthesis, the intracellular sites of metabolite storage, and the secretion processes across floral and foliar organs in five Mimosa species. Secretory epidermal cells of sepals, petals, and leaf blades produce both mucilage and phenolics, with no significant differences between organ types. Dictyosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and plastids predominated in the cytoplasm of the secretory cell during biosynthesis. Dictyosomes may mediate mucilage production, the rough endoplasmic reticulum may be involved in phenolic synthesis, and plastids may contribute to the biosynthesis of both compounds. These metabolites are stored in distinct cellular domains: phenolics accumulate in a large vacuole near the outer periclinal wall, while mucilage is deposited between the microfibrils of the inner periclinal wall. This spatial separation is evident by the distention of the inner periclinal wall due to mucilage accumulation. The absence of karyokinesis and phragmoplast formation during metabolite segregation confirms that these secretory cells have two different functional domains, forming a uniseriate rather than biseriate epidermis. Notably, the inclusion of several species in the ultrastructural analyses enhances the significance of these findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Morphology, Anatomy, and Embryology: Current Research and Future Directions)
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30 pages, 14253 KB  
Article
Comparative Study on Cytological Characteristics of Reproductive Organs and Embryonic Development in Three Forms of the Mycoheterotrophic Orchid Gastrodia elata
by Haixin Diao and Shunxing Guo
Plants 2026, 15(8), 1277; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15081277 - 21 Apr 2026
Viewed by 528
Abstract
Gastrodia elata is a mycoheterotrophic orchid. Three of its forms (G. elata f. glauca, G. elata f. elata, G. elata f. viridis) show distinct reproductive traits, but the cytological basis remains unclear. Using multi-timepoint morphological observation and semi-thin/ultra-thin sectioning, [...] Read more.
Gastrodia elata is a mycoheterotrophic orchid. Three of its forms (G. elata f. glauca, G. elata f. elata, G. elata f. viridis) show distinct reproductive traits, but the cytological basis remains unclear. Using multi-timepoint morphological observation and semi-thin/ultra-thin sectioning, we systematically compared their reproductive processes from gametophyte development to seed maturation. All forms exhibited pollen wall polar differentiation (“well-developed locular side, simplified lateral sides”) following a six-stage program, with f. elata germinating fastest, f. viridis intermediate, and no germination in f. glauca. In the female gametophyte, vesicle clusters and degradation zones suggest the possibility of a two-step “chalazal degradation—micropylar localization” nuclear clearance model. Embryo development rate followed f. elata > f. glauca > f. viridis. Mature seeds stored lipid/protein bodies; f. elata uniquely contained amyloplasts and acicular phytin crystals, with form-specific seed coat traits. This study clarifies cytological differentiation, providing a basis for germplasm identification and conservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Morphology, Anatomy, and Embryology: Current Research and Future Directions)
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31 pages, 16915 KB  
Article
Comparative Floral Development and Anatomy Reveal Distinct Origins of the Gynophore in Meso-Papilionoideae
by Cinthia Gracielly Rodrigues and Sueli Maria Gomes
Plants 2026, 15(3), 426; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants15030426 - 30 Jan 2026
Viewed by 960
Abstract
The Meso-Papilionoideae clade comprises most papilionoid legumes and includes small clades with heterogeneous floral morphologies. Some species have a sessile ovary, while in others the gynoecium is elevated by a stalk called a stipe or gynophore. This study provides a qualitative and comparative [...] Read more.
The Meso-Papilionoideae clade comprises most papilionoid legumes and includes small clades with heterogeneous floral morphologies. Some species have a sessile ovary, while in others the gynoecium is elevated by a stalk called a stipe or gynophore. This study provides a qualitative and comparative morphological analysis of meso-papilionoid flowers, focusing on the anatomy, vascularization, and development of the ovary and gynophore. The objective is to unravel the ontogenic origin and anatomical nature of the gynophore in meso-papilionoid flowers. Floral buds at different developmental stages of seven meso-papilionoid species were examined using scanning electron microscopy and sectioned transversely and longitudinally for analysis under optical microscopy. The morphological variations in the examined flowers may represent evolutionary adaptations associated with their respective pollination syndromes. Ovary development follows a certain pattern among legumes, with limited variations, including the formation of a basal pedestal beneath the carpel suture in species bearing a gynophore. The gynophore is anatomically distinct from the ovary, exhibiting a stem-like nature, originating from the activity of an intercalary meristem on the basal pedestal of the ovary or receptacle. This qualitative anatomical approach represents a first step toward the homologation of gynophore types in Fabaceae, providing a basis for future quantitative and phylogenetic analyses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Morphology, Anatomy, and Embryology: Current Research and Future Directions)
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17 pages, 9683 KB  
Article
The Lipotubuloids of Ornithogalum umbellatum L. Contain Hyperstable Microtubules
by Krithika Yogeeswaran, Manfred Ingerfeld, Nicholas R. McInnes, Brian E. S. Gunning and David A. Collings
Plants 2025, 14(23), 3677; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14233677 - 3 Dec 2025
Viewed by 623
Abstract
The epidermal cells of bracts, petals and sepals of Ornithogalum umbellatum L. (Star-of-Bethlehem, Asparagaceae) contain lipotubuloids, complex aggregates of lipid droplets (LDs) enmeshed by bundles of microtubules (MTs). We investigated lipotubuloid organization and stability through the transient expression of GFP fusion proteins targeted [...] Read more.
The epidermal cells of bracts, petals and sepals of Ornithogalum umbellatum L. (Star-of-Bethlehem, Asparagaceae) contain lipotubuloids, complex aggregates of lipid droplets (LDs) enmeshed by bundles of microtubules (MTs). We investigated lipotubuloid organization and stability through the transient expression of GFP fusion proteins targeted to different subcellular structures and with immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Live cell imaging confirmed that lipotubuloids contain LDs, organelles including endomembranes, mitochondria and peroxisomes, a tonoplast-defined vacuole, and that they move through actin microfilament-based streaming. Intriguingly, the different microscopy modes used showed different patterns of MT organization in the lipotubuloid. While MT sheets and bundles were visible by TEM, few MTs were seen with fusion proteins and immunofluorescence. Oryzalin-based MT depolymerization experiments suggest a possible resolution for this paradox: TEM showed that lipotubuloid MTs resisted depolymerization, even after 20 h in oryzalin, while MT polymerization was visible in lipotubuloids with fusion proteins during oryzalin wash-out. These results suggest that the Ornithogalum lipotubuloids contain hyperstable MTs, possibly formed with microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) that normally occlude fusion protein and antibody binding sites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Morphology, Anatomy, and Embryology: Current Research and Future Directions)
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