Phyllody

Phyllody [ from Greek = leaf-like phyllodes ] or Verlaubung denotes a flower malformation; in the affected blossoms leaves develop instead of individual or all floral organs ( sepals, Kron, fruit and stamens ). It has already been described in the literature by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe for roses. Cause of phyllodes, which have now been documented for many other plant species, is an altered regulation of genes that determine the identity of floral organs. The altered gene activity can in turn be attributed to altered phytohormone concentrations or sugar levels. Enabling factors are phytoplasmas infestation, drought, and - in the case of roses - increased summer temperatures during flower bud development. Phyllodien could be promoted with the gift of the plant hormone gibberellic acid in millet. From Arabidopsis mutants were isolated in which genes for the training of Crown, fruit and stamens are inactive; the corresponding floral organs are replaced by vegetative leaves. In the Green Rose, which has the same type of phyllody, homologous genes are probably broken.