2018 ASHS Annual Conference

Lycoris radiata (L'Hér.) Herb. and L. sprengeri Comes ex Baker are bulbous plants native to China. However, L. radiata leaved out after bloom in fall, while L. sprengeri sprouted out its foliage in next spring. To better understand their flower initiation and development, we conducted anatomical study of their buds from February to August. The flower bud formation stages could be divided into flower bud differentiation（from March to May）and flower bud development（from June to July）for both species. The flower-bud differentiation could be divided into 9 phases as flower bud initiation, flower primordium formation, perianth formation, formation of stamen, formation of ovary, formation of pistil, inflorescence formation, formation of pollen, and formation of flower bud. The flower bud initiation of L. sprengeri was from late February to early March, while L. radiata was during the middle or late March, about 20 days behind. Although L. sprengeri and L. radiata both had completed the process of flower bud formation in early June, L. sprengeri only needed one month for floral development and bloom and L. radiata required three months. Further studies should address why flowers of L. sprengeri developed much faster than that of L. radiata?