二型花柱植物海仙花报春花部性状随地理梯度的变异

植物的花部性状在异质环境中表现出不均一的适应性进化, 其自然变异可能在时空格局上呈现一定的规律性。选择同一物种的不同地理居群进行花部表型变异分析, 能揭示花部性状随地理梯度的变异模式。海仙花报春(Primula poissonii)属于典型的二型花柱植物, 依赖昆虫传粉实现严格的型间异交。该物种广布于横断山地区亚高山-高山草甸, 其分布海拔跨度大且花部性状在种内具有较高变异, 但这些变异在不同地理梯度(海拔梯度和经纬度梯度)的特定选择因子作用下的变化规律尚不清楚。本研究选择海仙花报春16个居群, 对8个花部关键性状和二型花柱繁殖器官的互补度与海拔和经纬度的关系进行研究, 探究花部性状随地理梯度变异的模式及其潜在的选择因素。研究表明, 海仙花报春两种花型的花冠管开口大小、花药高度以及短柱花柱头高度与海拔均呈正相关, 但两种花型的花冠大小, 长柱花的花瓣长度、柱头到花冠管开口的距离, 以及短柱花的花冠管长度与海拔高度间均呈负相关, 其余性状与海拔无显著相关性。除短柱花中柱头高度以外的性状均随着纬度升高而逐渐减小。长柱花中除花药和柱头间的距离以及柱头到开口的距离外, 其余性状均随着经度的增加而减小; 短柱花的花瓣长度、花药高度以及花药和柱头间的距离随着经度的增加而变大, 其余性状均随着经度的增加而减小。繁殖器官间的互补度并不随地理环境的变化而变化。花部性状的地理变异可能受访花昆虫组成的地理变化驱动。繁殖器官间互补程度的高度保守表明非选型交配在居群二态性的维持和稳定过程中起关键作用。本研究为进一步深入开展报春花属(Primula)花部性状及其选择压力的地理变异研究奠定了基础。     

Distyly and variation in heteromorphic incompatibility in Gaertnera vaginata (Rubiaceae) endemic to La Reunion Island

Documenting the floral biology of species throughout the Rubiaceae family is of particular interest since heterostyly and dioecy may have evolved more than once in this large family. Unfortunately many species in several tropical regions remain unstudied. The purpose of this paper is to describe the floral biology, the nature of self-incompatibility, morph ratios, and fecundity in natural populations of Gaertnera vaginata, a small tree endemic to the island of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean. Measurements of floral characters in populations across the entire distribution of this species showed that G. vaginata exhibits a reciprocal stigma height and anther height dimorphism characteristic of a distylous species. Pollen grain size and corolla tube length are consistently greater in short-styled plants and long-styled plants produce more pollen per flower. Controlled pollinations in a natural population showed that 25% of the short-styled plants gave at least one fruit on intramorph (illegitimate) pollination, whereas no long-styled plants set fruit on illegitimate pollination. In total, 19.4% of illegitimate pollinations produced fruit on short-styled plants. No self-pollination gave fruit on either morph and between-morph pollinations produced 92.2 and 92.8% for short and long-styled plants, respectively. Overall, short-styled plants were significantly more abundant than long-styled plants. Short-styled plants outnumbered long-styled plants in 16 of the 19 populations. In three of these populations the morph ratio was significantly different from 1:1. In two natural populations, fruit set was significantly higher on long-styled plants, although the number of seeds per fruit was not significantly different between the two morphs. The possible effect of variation in the strength of heteromorphic incompatibility on observed variation in morph abundance and the possible causes for the variation in fruit set are discussed.     

Morph-specific variation of floral traits associated with reciprocal herkogamy in natural populations of Primula vulgaris and Primula veris

Documenting the morph-specific variation of floral traits associated with reciprocal herkogamy is of special importance for revealing the functional significance of traits in the evolution and maintenance of the heterostylous syndrome. In order to describe the extent and specificity of variation, stigma height, anther height, stigma-anther separation and corolla tube length were measured on 800 flowers collected in two natural populations of Primula vulgaris and P. veris. Beside the almost complete separation of stigma heights between the two morphs, we found appreciable intermorph overlap in anther height and relatively broad range of stigma-anther separation so far reported for heterostylous species. The corolla tube length–stigma-anther separation relationship showed striking difference between the two floral morphs, which supports the hypothesis that length of the corolla tube plays a more important role in positioning the sex-organs in the appropriate distance in the short-styled than in the long-styled morph.     

Morph-specific patterns of variation in stigma height in natural populations of distylous Jasminum fruticans

The purpose of this study was to describe morph-specific patterns of stigma–anther separation and style curling in the distylous Jasminum fruticans . We also examined whether variation in floral traits is correlated with variation in seed production. Stigma–anther separation is more variable in short-styled plants than in long-styled plants. In all populations studied, some plants bear flowers that lack any stigma–anther separation. These plants have the pollen characteristics (size and number) and compatibility relations of short-styled plants. Comparison with other distylous species illustrates that the variability of stigma–anther separation in short-styled plants is a novel finding for a distylous species. Long-styled plants have greater stigma–anther separation than short-styled plants, styles are often curled and protrude from the corolla, and anthers are placed well within the corolla tube. The frequency of long-styled plants with curled styles and the mean degree of style curling were significantly correlated with style length. Short-styled plants have larger corollas than long-styled plants and never have curled styles. Morph ratios are always 50:50 in natural populations. Mean values of each floral trait in the two morphs were significantly correlated among populations. There were no consistent differences in fecundity of the two morphs nor any correlation between floral traits and seed set for each morph in natural populations. We discuss the potential causes and significance of the two morph-specific patterns we describe; reduced stigma–anther separation in short-styled plants and the presence of curled styles in long-styled plants.     

濒危植物安徽羽叶报春两种花型的繁育特性及其适应进化

二型花柱的维持机制和自然选择压力多年来一直是生态学和进化学研究领域的热点之一。通过实验室栽培和野外观察统计相结合的方法,对安徽羽叶报春两种花型(长柱花和短柱花)的形态特征、花粉活力、柱头可授性、花粉/胚珠比、自然授粉及结籽能力、自交亲和性等繁育特性进行了比较研究。结果表明:长、短柱花的花冠直径和裂片宽无明显差异,而花冠筒、雌蕊和雄蕊高、花粉数目及大小、P/O比均有显著差异。在自然条件下,长柱花所接受的总花粉数要明显高于短柱花的总花粉数,但所接受的异型花花粉数和平均每果结籽数两者无显著差异。长柱花和短柱花的花粉和柱头活力相似,均能在较长时间内维持较高活力,仅在开花末期显著下降。两种花型的花在自花授粉、同型异花授粉、异型花授粉条件下均能结籽,但异型花授粉的结籽数均明显高于自花授粉和同型异花授粉结籽数。在长柱花各种授粉方式中,花粉萌发率无明显差异,但异型花花粉管的生长速度明显比同型异花花粉和自花花粉的快,而在短柱花柱头上表现为异型花授粉的萌发率最高,但只要萌发后在花柱中的生长速度无显明差异。此外,综合上述结果,对二种花型花部综合征的维持机制及自然选择压力进行了探讨。     

Dimorphisms and self-incompatibility in the distylous species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Palicourea demissa</Emphasis> (Rubiaceae): possible implications for its reproductive output

Distyly has been interpreted as a mechanism that favors cross-fertilization. In this research we describe floral attributes and ancillary floral polymorphisms typically associated to heterostylous plants in Palicourea demissa (Rubiaceae), a distylous shrub of the Venezuelan Andes cloud forests. A hand-pollination experiment was done to evaluate self- and intramorph incompatibility and female reproductive output in both floral morphs. The studied population was morphologically distylous but morph differences in most ancillary floral polymorphisms and reciprocity of the sexual organ heights were found. The floral morphs were self-incompatible and did not differ in fruit set under controlled cross-pollination conditions, but at the population level they exhibited imperfect reciprocal herkogamy. Fruits and seeds of short-styled plants were larger than those of long-styled plants and fruit set was higher in short-styled plants under natural conditions, suggesting a higher reproductive potential among short-styled plants. Given the 1:1 morph ratio within the studied population, further evidence is needed to determine the influence of floral visitors and seed dispersers in the expression of heterostyly in P. demissa under natural conditions.     

Gender specialization in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Palicourea demissa</Emphasis> (Rubiaceae), a distylous,hummingbird-pollinated treelet

Distyly has been interpreted as a mechanism that promotes cross-pollination among conspecific plants and as one of the routes leading to the evolution of dioecy. In one of the possible evolutionary pathways, pollinators may disrupt intermorph pollen flow, and, as a consequence, floral morphs may gradually specialize as either male or female (functional dioecy). Natural patterns of pollen deposition and fruit and seed production were estimated in Palicourea demissa (Rubiaceae) and used as parameters to assess functional gender differences between floral morphs. Pollen flow was asymmetrical in P. demissa. Long-styled flowers were more effective than short-styled flowers in pollen deposition towards compatible stigmas, whereas short-styled flowers were more effective in legitimate pollen receipt. Accordingly, short-styled plants produced more fruits and viable seeds than long-styled plants. The contributions of male and female function to the potential functional gender were equivalent in both morphs. However, the realized functional gender deviated significantly from the potential functional gender in both morphs, in which short-styled plants were more successful through their female function, but long-styled plants through their male function. If pollinators disrupt the complementarities of pollen transfer between the two morphs (asymmetric pollen flow), the expression of a more profitable gender is expected in each morph. Thus, our results support the hypothesis that dioecy may evolve in distylous populations through the gradual specialization of each morph as either male or female.     

绣球茜的二型花柱及其传粉生物学初步研究

首次对绣球茜(Dunnia sinensis Tutch)的花药和柱头高度、花粉和柱头形态,以及人工辅助授粉的结实情况等进行了研究.结果表明:绣球茜在同一居群中同时具有长花柱(Pin 型)和短花柱(Thrum)两种花型,长花柱植株的柱头和雄蕊高分别为9.61±0.36 mm和6.79±0.38 mm,短花柱则为6.11±0.56 mm和8.96±0.59 mm,表现出互补式雌雄异位的花部特征.通过人工辅助授粉,两种花型植株的自交和同型植株间异交都不结实,仅在型间异交方能正常结实,说明绣球茜中存在极强的自交不亲和和型内不亲和现象.在花粉与柱头形态方面:长柱型花的单花花粉量(38555.6±6258.4)显著地小于短柱型花(52145.45±8924.5)(t=4.009,P＜0.01),长柱花和短柱型花的胚珠数分别为38.73±1.85和39.1±2.25(t=-4.13,P＞0.01);长柱型花花粉粒的大小(极径21.27±0.70 μm)显著地小于短柱花(21.92±0.79μm)类型(t=3.890,P＜0.01),而柱头乳突大小长柱类型要大于短柱类型,表现出明显的二型性.研究结果表明绣球茜是一种典型的二型花柱植物.此外,对其传粉昆虫及昆虫访花行为的观察表明,蝶类(青风蝶属Graphium)和蜂类(熊蜂Bombus sp.和木蜂Xylocopa magnifica Smith)为绣球茜的主要访花昆虫和传粉昆虫,它们能够在两种不同花型植株之间有效地传粉.     

STRUCTURAL DIMORPHISM OF STIGMATIC PAPILLAE IN DISTYLOUS LINUM SPECIES

Intermorph differences in the wall structure and constituents of stigmatic papillae are described for distylous Linum pubescens and L. grandiflorum. In the long-styled morph of both species the wall portion around the apex of the papilla has a thickened cellulose-pectin layer. In the short-styled morph of L. pubescens a cap zone is interposed between the cuticle and apical portion of the papilla wall. The subcuticular cap space contains pectins and lipid particles. Similar particles are also present in deposits on the cuticle surface. Papillae of the short-styled morph in L. grandiflorum lack a cap zone and have only epicuticular lipid deposits. Other distylous Linum species in which the two morphs differ in wall structure of the papillae are L. mucronatum, L. flavum, L. perenne, L. austriacum, and L. maritimum. Studies of stigma dimorphism can help to elucidate evolutionary relations between dimorphic and monomorphic Linum species.     

艳丽耳草的二型花柱及异型自交不亲和系统

异型花柱是一种受遗传因素控制的花型多态性现象,包括二型花柱和三型花柱两种类型.本文以茜草科艳丽耳草(Hedyotis pulcherrima)为实验材料,通过对其野外居群的花型、花部形态及花粉特征等观察,发现艳丽耳草野外居群同时存在长花柱型花和短花柱型花,长/短花柱型花的数量比例为1∶1.两型花具有精确的交互式雌雄异位特征,并且该特征与花冠长度相关性显著.长/短花柱型花的柱头裂片长度、花粉大小及淀粉含量等具有二型性.花粉体外培养时花粉萌发率及花粉管生长速率无显著性差异.人工授粉后,艳丽耳草长/短花柱型花型间异交花粉管生长形态正常,授粉24 h后花粉管均已进入子房.而长/短花柱型花在自交及型内异交下均表现为不亲和,花粉管生长停止于柱头,花粉管顶端累积胼胝质并膨大.艳丽耳草没有无融合生殖现象,型间人工辅助异交授粉结实率为100％,显著高于自然结实率.本研究结果表明,艳丽耳草是典型的二型花柱植物,并具有异型自交不亲和系统.     

Asymmetry in pollen flow promotes gender specialization in morphs of the distylous neotropical herb <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arcytophyllum lavarum</Emphasis> (Rubiaceae)

Distyly is a floral polymorphism, characterized by a reciprocal positioning between stigmas and anthers in different flowers, where two floral morphs, long-styled (pin) and short-styled (thrum) occur within the population. Distyly is suggested as one of the routes leading to the evolution of separate sexes in plants. In this evolutionary pathway, pollinators may disrupt the complementarity of pollen transfer between morphs. Consequently, the floral morphs gradually specialize as either male or female. A key process required for gender specialization in distylous plants is a deviation of the realized functional gender (i.e. the proportion of genes transmitted to the next generation via pollen donation and seed production) from the potential functional gender (i.e. the expected contribution of male and female function to reproductive success from the number of ovules or pollen grains produced by each morph). I selected the distylous herb Arcytophyllum lavarum (Rubiaceae) to determine if asymmetry in pollen flow promotes differences in seed production, pollen donation and a discrepancy between the potential and the realized functional genders in pin and thrum floral morphs. Pollen flow in A. lavarum is asymmetric and the pin morph is more efficient at performing cross-pollination than the thrum morph. Conversely, the thrum morph produced two times more seeds than the pin morph. Male and female contributions to the potential functional gender were equivalent in both morphs. However, the pin morph transmitted more genes through pollen donation and the thrum morph more through seed production than expected from their potential functional genders. These results support the hypothesis that if pollinators consistently promote asymmetric pollen flow between morphs over generations, it is possible that gender specialization may evolve to the extreme of dioecism from an original distylous condition.     

茜草科二型花柱植物滇丁香传粉精确性研究

异型花柱是一种受遗传因素控制的花型多态性现象,其适应意义在于提高不同花型间传粉精确性,从而促进异交。为检验二型花柱植物滇丁香（Luculia pinceana）是如何促进异交并确定有效传粉者的类型,实验统计自然种群中长、短柱型的植株数量,测量花部特征,统计自然种群植株柱头上的型间花粉落置的数量和比例,比较型内、型间花粉的萌发率以及花粉管长度,比较不同人工授粉处理结实情况,观察传粉昆虫类型并测量虫体特征。结果表明（1）滇丁香自然居群中长、短柱型植株的数量没有显著性差异。长柱型的筒深、筒直径、开口直径、雄蕊长和柱头长均显著小于短柱型,而长柱型的叶片长和宽、雌蕊长、花药体积、花粉粒体积、柱头厚均显著大于短柱型。（2）自然种群植株柱头上型间花粉所占比例显著低于型内花粉的比例。（3）型间授粉的花粉萌发率以及花粉管长度均大于型内授粉和混合授粉。（4）型间授粉的结实率显著高于型内授粉的结实率,型内授粉具有一定的结实。（5）夜行性长喙条背天蛾（Cechenena lineosa）是滇丁香的有效传粉者,其吻长和滇丁香的花筒深相适应。本研究表明二型花柱植物滇丁香主要是通过与其花部特征相匹配的长喙天蛾实现有效的传粉,通过促进型间花粉的萌发和花粉管的伸长而有利于型间授粉结实,提高传粉精确性。     

Flexible mating system in distylous populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Psychotria carthagenensis</Emphasis> Jacq. (Rubiaceae) in Brazilian Cerrado

In family Rubiaceae distyly is very common, and large variation in heterostyly characteristics has been previously documented. Analysis of these variations, even within a species, is very useful to our understanding of the evolutionary process that caused this polymorphism. For this reason, the goal of this study is to investigate the floral morphology and diallelic incompatibility system of three populations of Psychotria carthagenensis. The three studied populations of P. carthagenensis occur in forest fragments in protected areas in an urban matrix in the Municipality of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. Reciprocal position of style length and stamen height was found in populations, and in general short-styled flowers were larger than long-styled flowers. All populations presented 1:1 morph ratio between short-styled and long-styled flowers. Regarding breeding system, flowers of P. carthagenensis were self-compatible and compatible within plants of the same morph, and there was no pollen limitation in the populations in any case. In only one of the populations were there differences in the extent of compatibility between morphs, with the long-styled morph being more self-compatible than the short-styled morph. The reproductive strategy of these populations can be advantageous in case of fluctuation of pollinator activity.     

Reproductive ecology of distylous Palicourea Padifolia (Rubiaceae) in a tropical montane cloud forest. I. Hummingbirds' effectiveness as pollen vectors

The adaptiveness of distyly has been typically investigated in terms of its female function, specifically pollen receipt. However, pollen loads on stigmas can only provide moderate support for Darwin's hypothesis of the promotion of legitimate crosses. To determine the effectiveness of hummingbirds as pollen vectors between floral morphs and the consequences in terms of male (pollen transfer) and female function (pollen receipt) in Palicourea padifolia (Rubiaceae), floral visitors, their foraging modes, and temporal patterns of floral visitation were observed and documented. Differences in pollen and stigma morphology, pollen flow, rates of pollen deposition, and/or stigmatic pollen loads were then evaluated for their contribution toward differences in reproductive output between floral morphs. A pollination experiment with stuffed hummingbirds that varied in bill size was done to evaluate the contribution of bill variation toward differences between floral morphs in pollen receipt and pollen transfer and female reproductive output. Anthers of long-styled flowers contained significantly more and smaller pollen grains than those of short-styled flowers, independently of corolla and anther lengths. The shape and orientation of the stigma lobes differed between morphs and were significantly longer among short-styled flowers. Hummingbird visitation rates did not differ significantly between floral morphs, and foraging movements from focal plants towards neighboring plants were independent of floral morph. Stigmatic pollen loads under field conditions and those after controlled hummingbird visitation, along with rates of pollen accumulation through the day indicated that stigmas of short-styled flowers receive proportionately more legitimate (intermorph) pollen grains than did those of long-styled flowers. However, the species of hummingbird was marginally significant in explaining variation in pollen deposition on stigmas. Lastly, intermorph pollinations of P. padifolia resulted in significant differences in fruit production between floral morphs, independent of pollination treatment and pollinator species; short-styled flowers proportionately developed almost twice the number of fruits developed by long-styled flowers.     

Reproductive ecology of distylous Palicourea padifolia (Rubiaceae) in a tropical montane cloud forest. II. Attracting and rewarding mutualistic and antagonistic visitors

By definition, the floral morphs of distylous plants differ in floral architecture. Yet, because cross-pollination is necessary for reproductive success in both morphs, they should not differ in attributes that contribute to attracting and rewarding floral visitors. Floral and vegetative attributes that function in distylous polymorphism in hummingbird-pollinated Palicourea padifolia (Rubiaceae) and the responses of pollinators and insect herbivores to the resources offered by both morphs were investigated. The performance of each morph along multiple stages of the reproductive cycle, from inflorescence and nectar production to fruit production, was surveyed, and pollinator behavior and nectar standing crops were then observed. Costs associated with such attractiveness were also evaluated in terms of herbivore attack and of plant reproductive fitness (female function) as a function of leaf herbivory. The number of inflorescences, floral buds, open flowers, and ripe fruits offered by either floral morph were similar, but short-styled plants almost doubled the number of developing fruits of long-styled plants. Long-styled flowers produced higher nectar volumes and accumulated more nectar over time than short-styled flowers. Measures of nectar standing crop and data on pollinator behavior suggest that hummingbirds respond to this morph-specific scheduling of nectar production. Lastly, long-styled plants suffered a higher herbivore attack and lost more leaf area over time than those with short-styled flowers. Herbivory was negatively correlated with fruit number and fruit mass, and long-styled plants set significantly less fruit mass than short-styled plants. The results suggest that pollinators and herbivores may exert selective pressures on floral and vegetative traits that could also influence gender function.     

INCOMPATIBILITY IN AMSINCKIA GRANDIFLORA (BORAGINACEAE): DISTRIBUTION OF CALLOSE PLUGS AND POLLEN TUBES FOLLOWING INTER- AND INTRAMORPH CROSSES

The distribution of callose plugs and pollen tubes was investigated following inter- and intramorph crosses of Amsinckia grandiflora (Boraginaceae), a distylous species possessing cryptic self-incompatibility. Callose plug distribution provided a good indication of the distribution of pollen tubes. Compared to intramorph crosses, many more callose plugs and pollen tubes were found in basal stylar regions following intermorph crosses, indicating that differential pollen tube growth is a likely cause of cryptic self-incompatibility. The incompatibility response differed for the floral morphs: in the pin (long-styled) morph pollen tubes were most likely to cease growth in the midstylar region, while inhibition was more likely to occur in the upper stylar region of the thrum (short-styled) morph. There was no evidence of stigmatic inhibition of pollen tubes for either morph, although the incompatibility response in the Boraginaceae is normally located in the stigmatic region.     

Elevation-related variation in the population characteristics of distylous Primula nivalis affects female fitness and inbreeding depression

The population characteristics of distylous species are highly sensitive to stochastic natural selection pressure.Therefore,populations growing under different environmental conditions may vary in floral morph ratios,potentially affecting female fitness and leading to inbreeding depression.However,the variation in offspring quality among populations as a result of inbreeding depression is poorly understood in distylous species.This study investigates variations in plant density,seed mass,seed viabilityfemale fitness,and post-dispersal inbreeding depression in both sexual morphs(long-styled and shortstyled plants)of the distylous Primula nivalis that were subjected to different pollination treatments along an elevational gradient from 1657 to 2704 m a.s.l.Population characteristics(morph plant density and ratio)and fruit set were significantly affected by sexual morph and elevation.Plant density and fruitset frequencies were lower for short-styled than for long-styled plants at 2704 m a.s.l.The seeds from the cross-pollinated flowers of both morphs were higher in quality than those of self-pollinated flowers.The female fitness of seeds from cross-pollinated flowers of both morphs was higher than that of seeds from open-pollinated and self-pollinated flowers.The female fitness of seeds from long-styled flowers was higher than that of seeds from short-styled flowers at all elevations.Inbreeding depression increased with elevation among plants with short-styled flowers but not among those with long-styled flowers.Variation in the elevation-dependent mating system might influence female fitness and affect inbreeding depression in both floral morphs.In conclusion,the low quality of seeds from short-styled flowers at high elevations might decrease short-styled flower frequency,affecting population characteristics.     

Heterostylous morph differences in pollen transfer and deposition patterns in Primula sieboldii on a visitation by a queen bumblebee, measured with a semi-natural experimental system

Abstract Under a semi-natural setting the between-morph pollen exchange patterns were studied in distylous Primula sieboldii flowers by measuring pollen removal from the anthers on a single visit by a Bombus diversus tersatus queen, and stigmatic pollen deposition along the sequence of the visitation of the opposite-morph flowers by the bee. Despite the twofold larger number of pollen grains produced in a single flower of the long-styled morph compared to that of the short-styled morph, no significant difference in pollen removal from a flower was found between the morphs. The stigmas of the long-styled morph received significantly more opposite-morph pollen grains than those of the short-styled morph on a single visit by the bee. Sufficient legitimate pollen grains, surpassing the ovule number, were loaded on the stigmas of 27% and 17% of visited flowers of the long- and short-styled morphs, respectively. The short-styled morph could more efficiently donate pollen to the opposite morph stigmas than the long-styled morph.     

Pollen and ovule production, floral nectary structure, and nectar secretion dynamics in tristylous Lythrum salicaria L.

Lythrum salicaria L. (Lythraceae) is tristylous, each plant forming one of three floral morphs that differ in reciprocal placement of the stigma and two sets of anthers. Several reproductive traits were compared quantitatively among these morphs. Although mean pollen viability (??93%) and total pollen per mature, indehiscent anther within a staminal level (mean CV?=?11%) were constant, the patterns of mean pollen production per anther were complex, being significantly lowest in long stamens (1,490 grains) of the short-styled morph, but highest in intermediate stamens (3,590) of the long-styled morph. Overall, pollen production was greatest (38,200) in long-styled flowers and least (22,000) in short-styled ones. On the contrary, ovule quantities per ovary (mean 107) were similar among floral morphs; thus, pollen-to-ovule ratios spanned 192 (short-styled morph) to 364 (long-styled morph), relatively low values for a strictly xenogamous species. Each morph had a recessed annular nectary of similar dimensions encircling the ovary base, with equal numbers of modified stomata distributed uniformly on the nectary surface. Most stomata were solitary (94%), whereas 5% occurred in pairs and 1% of stomatal units had just one guard cell. During nectar secretion, about 16% of pores were closed plus 28% of pores were fully occluded. Similarly, nectar volumes and solute concentrations, peak rates of nectar secretion (mean 72?C79???g sugar?h^?1) at early afternoon, and the nectar??s sucrose prevalence [S/(G?+?F) ??4.3] were not significantly different among morphs. Based on these similarities in nectary structure and nectar-secretion dynamics, traits rarely studied in tristylous species, the preferential visitation of any particular floral morph of L. salicaria during nectar foraging by insects is unlikely. Indeed, lack of discrimination among morphs by potential pollinators may be a key tenet of successful sexual reproduction in tristylous species.