The Anther

The stamen, and its fertile pollen-bearing part, and anther, have received relatively little scientific attention, in spite of their fundamental role in the reproductive cycle of flowering plants, and their importance in interpreting plant evolution. To help begin to redress this shortcoming the contributions in this volume give an indication of the kinds of studies now being undertaken with a view to stimulating further work on this neglected plant organ. Summaries of traditional and current concepts of stamen construction, function, and terminology are accompanied by new evidence, drawn from the fossil record, for the evolution of the anther and of anther-bearing plants. Current studies of growth and structure, including detailed studies of several families, help explain the dynamics of stamen evolution. New and striking illustrations of many plant structures aid our understanding of these concepts. An exhaustive bibliography and details of techniques for investigating the anther are also included. Emerging agreement can be seen on the nature of structures and functions of anthers, but the scope of some definitions and some features of the stamen and its evolution await consensus.