Floral organ initiation and development in wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae) and in the organ identity mutants apetala2-1 and agamous-1

The flowers of Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae) were examined for histological events during organ initiation and later development. An inflorescence floral plastochron of the main stem raceme was used as a basis for the timing and staging of developmental events. Sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels in wild-type Landsberg erecta Arabidopsis are distinguishable as primordia in terms of cell division events associated with initiation, size, and component cell numbers. Flower organogenesis in the organ identity (homeotic) mutants apetala2-1 and agamous-1 was compared with that of the wild type. In both mutants, each whorl of floral organs initiates much like the wild type and only subsequently produces visibly altered organs with mosaic features. The flower organ identity mutants achieve their mature phenotypes by alterations in tissue differentiation that occur after initiation and early primordial development.