Thus, our hypothesis (Fig. 1C) postulates that mitochondrial reticulation starts as soon as the embryo germinates and produces a applies to floral organs. During the vegetative to floral meristem transition, reticulation might be retained, but at the latest would disappear when the floral organs are formed, since comparatively few rounds of division are needed to generate the gametophytes and subsequently the gametes. Finally, after meiosis and microspore compartmentalization, the developmental need for a mechanism for generating a homogeneous mtDNA pool to be transmitted to gametes would no longer be needed. Thus, during gamete, embryo and seed development, this characteristic mitochondrial feature would be silenced and would only be reactivated during germina-tion of the new seedling when a new SAM is formed and vegetative development starts.