Growth discrepancy between filament and style facilitates self‐fertilization in Brandisia hancei (Paulowniaceae) |
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| Authors: | Yong‐Quan Ren You‐Pin Xu Ting Zhang Yong‐Peng Ma Tobias Marczewski |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Institute of Environment and Life Science, Kaili University, Kaili, China;2. Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China |
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| Abstract: | Self‐pollination has been hypothesized to be beneficial in environments where pollinators are rare as it can provide reproductive assurance. This study presents evidence for an autonomous self‐fertilization mechanism in the winter flowering plant, Brandisia hancei. To determine changes in the spatial separation of stigma and anthers, the length of style and stamens was recorded. Additionally, pollination treatments were carried out to test fruit‐set and seed production. Brandisia hancei is herkogamic in the early flowering stages. However, different growth rates of the filament and style lead to contact of stigma and anthers in the later stages, thereby facilitating self‐pollination. The highest seeds number is produced under an out‐crossing scenario but plants produce a considerable number of seeds even when purely selfed. Although pollinators are scarce, autonomous selfing alleviates the pollen limitation in B. hancei. Self‐fertilization in B. hancei seems to be an adaptive strategy to ensure reproduction when pollinators are scarce. |
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| Keywords: | Brandisia hancei growth discrepancy pollinator limitation reproductive assurance self‐fertilization |
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