Floral biology of two species of Actinidia (Actinidiaceae). I. The stigma, pollination, and fertilization

The stigmata of both female and hermaphrodite flowers of Actinidia deliciosa and of female flowers of A. chinensis var. chinensis are wet. The secretion is produced in the transmitting cells beneath the papillae, in secretory cells lining the stylar groove and canal, and in the inner walls of the locules. The secretion contains polysaccharides, pectins, and traces of protein. In hermaphrodite flowers of A. deliciosa, the degree of female organ development is less than in female flowers, but pollen tube growth is not impaired on papillate stigmata. Time between pollination and fertilization in A. deliciosa is 68 h, and in A. chinensis, 64 h.