Figure 6

Changes in the number of floral organs and floral identity in plants over-expressing miR172b. A, A wild-type floret with lemma and palea removed to show lodicule (only one is seen which is indicated by a red arrow), six anthers (indicated by blue arrows), one carpel (indicated by a red *) and two stigmas (indicated by light pink arrows). B, SEM of the basal part of a wild-type spikelet showing the morphology and surface features of a lodicule. C and D, Close-ups of the lodicule in the white and blue boxed regions in B, respectively. E to T, Images of floret or floral organs of plants over-expressing miR172b. E, Two swollen lodicules fused together. F and G, Two enlarged lodicules fused together to form a cup-like structure. H, Multiple lodicules located at the same whorl. I and J, Multiple lodicules located at two whorls with elongated lodicules at the outer whorl. K, All four lodicules are elongated and show distinct features in the middle and flanking regions at the base. L, A close-up of the white boxed region shown in K. M, An elongated lodicule (tip of the lodicule is indicated by a yellow arrow) fused with an anther (indicated by a blue arrow). N, Lodicule base and anther top organ replaced carpel and completely separated two stigmas that showed flat style. O, A close-up of the boxed portion in N. P, Conversion part of the stigma into an anther. Q, Floret with three stigmas. R, Floret with two carpels (indicated by red *). S and T, Two florets developed within a single spikelet and one of them (left side one) always with incomplete floral organs. White arrows indicate lemma or palea. To show the internal floral organs, both lemma and palea (for A, B, E, G to J and N to R) or one of them (for F, K, S and T) has been removed. EG: empty glume, FL: filament. Bars in A, F, H to J, and P to T are 1 mm. Bars in B, E and G are 200 μm. Bars in C, D and L are 42 μm. Bars in K, M to O are 420 μm.