IBIS-Flora

Angiosperm Flora of India

Sexual differences in reproductive characters and pollinator attractiveness in gynodioecious Glechoma longituba (Lamiaceae)

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2011
Authors:BAI, YUN-PENG, ZHANG, YAN-WEN, GITURU, ROBERTW, ZHAO, JI-MIN, LI, JIAN-DONG
Journal:Plant Species Biology
Volume:26
Issue:1
Date Published:2011
ISBN Number:1442-1984
Keywords:attractiveness, dimorphic flower, Glechoma longituba, gynodioecious, Lamiaceae, primary attractant, secondary attractant
Abstract:

We quantified the differences in floral characters and attractiveness to flower visitors under natural conditions between the sexual types in the gynodioecious plant Glechoma longituba. We also manipulated flowers by altering corolla size or nectar volume, or by removing anthers, to examine the effect of these primary and secondary attractants (i.e. rewards and advertisements) on attractiveness. A change in corolla size and shape reduced visiting frequency and pollen load. Removal of anthers did not affect visiting rates, but significantly reduced pollination rates and stigmatic pollen load. A decrease in the nectar volume of a flower was associated with a reduction in handling time and pollen loads on stigmas. These results show that corolla size is an important advertisement to pollinators (particularly at greater distance), which associate hermaphrodite flowers with a larger corolla and a larger volume of nectar than female flowers. We found that artificial changes in population structure affected the behavior of pollinators as well as the pollination rates of flowers. We suggest that the pattern of distribution of hermaphrodite and female clones in a population may serve to avoid pollen limitation in a female clone or patch. This effect may ensure female reproductive success and allow for the maintenance of female individuals in natural populations of this gynodioecious plant.

URL:http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-1984.2010.00298.x
Short Title:Plant Species Biology
Taxonomic name: 
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Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith