Fig.1

Morphological and anatomical characteristics of functional male and female flowers in Rhus chinensisA. Polar view of a functional male flower； B. Side view of a functional male flower； C. Cross-section of a functional male flower bud； D. Polar view of a functional female flower； E. Side view of a functional female flower with petals removed； F. Longitudinal section of a functional female flower bud. s. Sepal； p. Petal； fs. Fertile stamen； ss. Sterile stamen； sp. Sterile pistil； fp. Fertile pistil.

Fig.2

Anther wall development of functional male flowers in Rhus chinensisA. Anther wall at the stage of sporogenous cell， showing four layers of anther wall and uninucleate tapetum； B. Anther wall at microspore mother cell stage， showing multinucleate tapetum； C. Anther wall at tetrad period stage， with the middle layer compressed into a linear shape； D. Anther wall at the newly released microspore stage from the tetrad， with the middle layer degenerated and the tapetum beginning to degrade； E. Anther wall at 2-cell pollens stage， enlarged endothecium with fibrous thickenings， and degeneration of the middle layer and tapetum； F. Anther wall at the pollen dispersal stage； Ep. Epidermis； En. Endothecium； Ml. Middle layer； Ta. Tapetum； Fw. Fibrous thickened inner wall of anther chamber.

Fig.3

Microsporogenesis and gametophyte development of functional male and female flowers in Rhus chinensisA-F. Functional male flower； G-L. Functional female flower. A. Sporogenous cell stage； B. Microspore mother cell stage； C. Tetrad stage； D. Developing microspores； E. Microspore at monokaryotic center stage； F. 2-cell pollens stage； G. Sporogenous cell stage； H. Sporogenous cell stage， tapetum began to dissolve； I. Sporogenous cell stage， the tapetum was dissolved； J. Apoptosis of sporogenous cells； K. Anther sac atrophy； L. Anther atrophy. Sc. Sporogenous cell； Mmc. Microspore mother cell； Te. Tetrad； Ep. Epidermis； En. Endothecium； Ml. Middle layer. Ta. Tapetum. Mp. Mature pollen.

Fig.4

Megasporogenesis and gametophyte development of functional female and male flowers in Rhus chinensisA-I. Functional female flowers； J-O. Functional male flowers. A. Archesportial cell stage； B. Meiosis prophase stage； C. Tetrad stage； D. The endostome megaspores were degenerated and the chalazal one was a functional megaspore； E. Mononuclear embryo sac stage； F. Two nuclear embryo sac stage； G. Four nuclear embryo sac stage； H-I. Successive sections showing eight nuclear embryo sac stage； J. Meiosis prophase stage； K. Tetrad stage， showing the four megaspores within the tetrad； L. Mononuclear embryo sac stage； M-O. Abortive embryo sac. Asc. Archesportial cell； Mmc. Megaspore mother cell； Fm. Functional megaspore； Dm. Degenerated megaspore； Ac. Antipodal cell； Ec. Egg cell； Sy. Synergid； Pn. Polar nuclei；the upper right corner shown as chalazal end.