利用SSR荧光标记对野慈姑异交率的估测

对自交亲和植物交配系统进行估测,有利于了解植物的繁殖状态、自异交进化的轨迹和特定种群的自然历史或选择压力。自交亲和的野慈姑有性繁殖和克隆繁殖并存,且其花序内和无性系分株间存在雌雄花同时开放的现象即给自交带来了机会。本研究利用SSR标记估测野慈姑自然种群的异交水平,并比较分析异交率估测中荧光定量法的准确性和优势,探讨野慈姑不同自然种群微卫星位点的多态性。结果表明,从28对SSR引物中筛选出3对多态性较高的引物,其多种群水平的位点数分别是5、6、6;对1个自然种群的6棵植株共计31个果实的异交率进行估测,其整体异交率为92.87%±2.5%,揭示了野慈姑自然种群的交配系统以异交为主,且无性繁殖对后代的贡献有限;单引物水平下,荧光定量技术检测出的多态性位点数和杂合率均高于NativePAGE成像电泳,且其对异交率估测的结果也更准确;另外,从检测效率实验耗时和实验成本等方面综合分析,本研究推荐使用荧光定量技术。     

小报春不同授粉组合亲和性研究

利用小报春‘红星’、‘紫霞’、‘罗兰香’3个品种分别设置8种授粉组合,统计了不同授粉组合的结实情况和单果种子数量,并对‘红星’品种部分授粉组合的花粉萌发与花粉管伸长过程进行荧光显微观察。结果显示:(1)3个品种的结实率和单果种子数量均表现为异型植株授粉>长花柱同型异株授粉、长花柱自交>短花柱同型异株授粉、短花柱自交,不同授粉组合间单果种子数量差异极显著,异型植株授粉类型结实率均达到100%,单果种子数量为44～181粒,显著高于自交组合和同型异株杂交组合;以异型致死花粉作为蒙导对短花柱同型异株授粉组合的结实有一定促进作用,但对长花柱同型异株授粉组合的结实没有一致的促进作用;3个品种中‘红星’的结实率和单果种子数量最高。(2)荧光显微观察表明,异型授粉组合花粉在柱头上大量萌发并在花柱中伸长,授粉144h后花粉管开始进入子房;同型授粉组合授粉12h后花粉开始萌发,但直到授粉后144h花粉管还没有进入花柱;自交授粉组合授粉后144h仍无花粉萌发。实验结果说明,小报春存在明显的自交不亲和性,且短花柱类型的自交不亲和性比长花柱类型强。     

中国特有濒危植物夏蜡梅的交配系统

夏蜡梅Sinocalycanthus chinensis具有局限的地理分布、片断化的生境、较小的种群规模和特殊的遗传结构,研究其交配系统,将为评估造成其目前这种遗传结构的内因、明确夏蜡梅遗传衰退机制和制定保护策略提供重要依据。通过野外观察、实验室检测和人工控制交配实验等研究,结果表明:夏蜡梅从开花到散粉雄蕊和退化雄蕊呈直立到平展再到合拢状的动态变化,当花药处于最平展状态时,柱头成熟具有粘性,可授性最强;说明夏蜡梅雌蕊先熟,雌雄配子存在一定的时空隔离,仅发育后期可遇。花粉胚珠比(P/O)、杂交指数(OCI)和人工控制交配实验的结果较为一致,表明夏蜡梅的交配系统为以异交为主的混合交配系统,部分自交亲和,完成授粉需要传粉者。综合种群结构、遗传结构和交配系统,夏蜡梅种群内遗传多样性降低而种群间遗传分化加剧最重要和直接的原因是生境的破坏、种群规模变小而导致的近交或自交比例增加。人工控制交配实验结果进一步表明,远交和混合授粉即用含有天台种群的花粉进行授粉具有显著的远交优势,远交结实率高达79.6％,平均每果实结实9.1粒种子,平均每胚珠结实0.75粒。因此,人为地促进2种群间的基因流将有利于夏蜡梅自然种群的恢复和遗传多样性的增加,对夏蜡梅保护策略的制定有重要参考价值。     

毛红椿天然种群有性繁殖适合度及其繁殖更新

以九连山国家自然保护区毛红椿4个天然种群为研究对象,于2006—2016年调查毛红椿有性繁殖和自然更新的情况,分析其繁殖适合度系数和个体水平适合度.结果表明:九连山毛红椿各地理种群结实单株的初始数量较少(3~9株),经70余年的繁衍发育,现存结实单株的数量仅2~10株,且来源于原始单株或子1~2代.不同种群间有性繁殖差异显著,但结实能力呈逐年下降的趋势;随群落发育成熟,土壤种子库保存与种子萌发的失利,导致能正常生长发育成熟的林木数量近乎为0.毛红椿最佳性成熟年龄为40年,早期优势明显,适合度系数早期快速增长,为2.0~2.8,但急剧减少至0.3~0.5,之后较平稳减速至近乎于0;种群间个体有性繁殖适合度(0~14株·cm2)存在较显著差异,但均较低,甚至低至0;以现有繁殖率计算,有性繁殖与更新的适合度实测值均远低于预估值.总之,受有性繁殖遗传适合度低的影响,不同种群间有性繁殖与更新能力趋同衰退;个体有性繁殖适合度进一步降低且面临更高的投资风险,现有繁殖体系因此失衡并趋于恶化.建议开展繁殖交配、授粉结实及遗传多样性评价研究,同时人为干预林分环境,于结实期清理林地枯落物,在幼苗至幼树生长过渡期适当疏伐.     

野慈姑(Sagittaria trifolia)人工授粉的有效性:授粉工具与花粉保存

人工授粉作为一项关键性技术在生态研究与农业生产领域广泛应用,但是授粉过程中的工具有效性以及花粉保存尚未受到研究者的关注。以植物野慈姑为试验材料,研究了人工授粉方式和花粉保存条件对繁殖的影响。两年的结果表明,相较于直接接触式授粉,借助毛刷工具授粉显著降低了野慈姑的座果概率和种子数。花粉经过半小时野外高温保存后,其授粉的座果概率显著高于对照组,但单果种子数和种子大小保持稳定。综上,在野慈姑的人工授粉中应避免使用毛刷等工具,离体花粉可置于野外环境适当保存。在相关应用中,研究人员应当警惕工具授粉造成的负面影响,注意比较工具与其他授粉方式的等效性,保证实验的科学性。     

Differences in floral traits and flower visitation rates in mating systems in Prunella vulgaris (Lamiaceae)

夏枯草交配系统对花特征和访花频率差异的影响 植物花特征和传粉者的访问次数与交配系统类型密切相关。唇形科植物夏枯草(Prunella vulgaris)存 在两种植株类型,分别为柱头伸出花冠和柱头在花冠内部的植株,而且两种植株的比例在不同种群中存在差异。本研究选择柱头伸出花冠外植株占绝大多数、柱头伸出花冠外植株占多数和柱头在花冠内部植株占多数的3个种群,通过比较每个种群中两种植株类型的开花物候、花形态特征、昆虫访问频率、自交能力、传粉者对结实的贡献以及近交衰退的水平,以检验花特征和传粉者访问次数与交配系统类型的关系。研究结果表明,与柱头在花冠内部的植株相比,柱头伸出花冠外的植株具有更大和更多的花,产生更多的花粉和花蜜,具有更高的访花频率,并主要通过异交产生种子。在种群水平,柱头伸出花冠外的植株占多数种群的访花频率显著高于柱头在花冠内部植株占多数的访花频率。柱头在花冠内部的植株比柱头伸出花冠外的植株具有更强的自动自交能力,在传粉者缺乏时为其提供了繁殖保障,但繁殖保障和异交率在不同种群中差异不显著,表明较低的昆虫访问能够满足夏枯草的授粉需求以产生种子,这可能与夏枯草较少的胚珠数量(每朵花仅有4个胚珠)有关。柱头在花冠内部植株的近交衰退水平低于柱头伸出花冠外植株的近交衰退水平,但两种植株类型的近交衰退水平均低于0.5,说明近交衰退不足以阻止该物种中自交的进化。综上所述,柱头在花冠内部的植株能够通过自交为夏枯草提供繁殖保障,而柱头伸出花冠外的植株能够利用昆虫传粉确保异交,表明混合交配系统在该物种中是一个稳定的状态。     

被子植物早期近交衰退与晚期自交不亲和

被子植物自交后结籽率的降低通常由早期近交衰退(early-acting inbreeding depression)与晚期自交不亲和(self-incompatibility)导致.早期近交衰退是严格的合子后的作用机制,通常由多位点隐性有害基因的纯合导致,并在合子发育成成熟种子的过程中发生.发生在柱头表面或花柱中的自交不亲和是合子前的作用机制,而发生在子房内的晚期自交不亲和(late-acting ovarian self-incompatibility)可在合子前或合子后发生作用,与早期近交衰退很难区分.在合子前的子房内自交不亲和机制下,尽管花粉管能生长到子房甚至穿透胚珠,但通常不能形成合子.合子后的子房内自交不亲和能形成合子,但由于自交不亲和通常由单位点控制,合子败育集中发生在受精作用后的很短时间内.基于早期近交衰退和子房内自交不亲和的这种差异,己有研究提出了8种区分方法.通过解剖学方法观察授粉后生物学过程,比较自交和异交先后授粉和自交授粉处理的结籽率,以及通过一元线性回归模型考察自交和异交处理下成熟种子和败育种子数之和是否保持恒定,可以区分是合子前还是合子后过程导致的自交后种子产量降低.通过全同胞间杂交实验判断败育的遗传基础是单基因控制还是多位点有害隐性等位基因的纯和,可以区分合子后自交不亲和机制与早期近交衰退;或者通过这两种不同遗传基础导致的种子大小等表型性状的差异来区分.     

入侵植物剑叶金鸡菊的繁殖特征及其与入侵性之间的关系

入侵植物剑叶金鸡菊(Coreopsis lanceolata)既可进行有性繁殖, 又能进行克隆繁殖, 其繁殖特征可能对其入侵性具有重要影响, 然而目前相关研究较少。通过观测剑叶金鸡菊的花序开花动态、交配系统、种子萌发特性等有性繁殖特征及克隆繁殖特征, 研究了上述繁殖特性及其与入侵性之间的关系。结果表明, 剑叶金鸡菊每年4月下旬开始现蕾, 5-11月为花果期。单个花序的花期为5-6天, 至果实成熟开裂约18天。单个花序自交及同株异花授粉不亲和, 为异株异花授粉的异交型, 其花粉-胚珠比(P/O比)为103 549.40 ± 7 162.44。花序高花粉活力及本地蜂传粉行为保障了花粉资源, 因而结实率高达12 000粒∙株^-1。自然条件下其种子的萌发率高达50%以上, 且2-3天即可萌发。剑叶金鸡菊克隆繁殖能力非常强, 整个生长季节均可见从根蘖长出的密集型克隆分株, 8月下旬开始出现游击型克隆生长, 通过密集型和游击型克隆生长, 剑叶金鸡菊排斥其他物种形成单优种群。上述研究结果说明, 剑叶金鸡菊的入侵性与其繁殖特征密切相关。     

植物交配系统的进化、资源分配对策与遗传多样性

影响植物自交率进化的选择力量主要体现在两个方面：当外来花粉量不足时,自交可以提高植物的结实率,即雌性适合度（繁殖保障）;而如果进行自交的花粉比异交花粉更易获得使胚珠受精的机会,那么自交也可以提高植物的雄性适合度（自动选择优势）。但是,鉴别什么时候是繁殖保障、什么时候是自动选择优势导致了自交的进化却是极其困难的。花粉贴现降低了自交植物通过异交花粉途径获得的适合度,即减弱了自动选择优势,而近交衰退既减少了自动选择优势也减少了繁殖保障给自交者带来的利益。具有不同交配系统的植物种群将具有不同的资源分配对策。理论研究已经说明,自交率增加将减少植物对雄性功能的资源分配比例,但将使繁殖分配加大,而且在一定条件下交配系统的改变甚至可以导致植物生活史发生剧烈变化,即从多年生变为一年生。文献中支持自交减少植物雄性投入的证据有很多,但是对繁殖分配与自交率的关系目前还没有系统的研究。资源分配理论可以解释植物繁育系统的多样性,尤其是能够说明为什么大多数植物都是雌雄同体的。自交对植物种群遗传结构的影响是减少种群内的遗传变异,增加种群间的遗传分化。长期以来人们一直猜测,自交者可能会丢掉一些长期进化的潜能,目前这个假说得到了一些支持。     

植物交酸系统的进化、资源分配对策与遗传多样性

影响植物自交率进化的选择力量主要体现在两个方面：当外来花粉量不足时,自交可以提高植物的结实率,即雌性适合度（繁殖保障）;而如果进行自交的花粉比异交花粉更易获得使胚珠受精的机会,那么自交也可以提高植物的雄性适合度（自动选择优势）。但是,鉴别什么时候是繁殖保障、什么时候是自动选择优势导致了自交的进化却是极其困难的。花粉贴现降低了自交植物通过异交花粉途径获得的适合度,即减弱了自动选择优势,而近交衰退既减少了自动选择优势也减少了繁残给自交者带来的利益。具有不同交配系统的植物种群将具有不同的资源分配对策。理论研究已经说明,自交率增加将减少植物对雄性功能的资源分配比例,但将使繁殖分配加大,而且在一定条件下交配系统在改变甚至可以导致植物生活史发生剧烈变化,即从多年生变为一年生。文献中支持自交减少植物雄性投入的证据有很多,但是对繁殖分配与自交率的关系目前还没有系统的研究,资源分配理论可以解释植物繁育系统的多样性,尤其是能够3说明为什么大多数植物都是雌雄同体的,自交对植物种群遗传结构的影响是减少种群内的遗传变异,增加种群间的遗传分化,长期以来人们一直猜测,自交者可能会丢掉一些长期进化的潜能,目前这个假说得到了一些支持。     

Mating system,outcrossing distance effects and pollen availability in the wind-pollinated treeline species Polylepis australis BITT. (Rosaceae)

Fragmentation may negatively affect plant fitness through pollen limitation and increased levels of inbreeding. Effects of fragmentation may vary with regard to life form and breeding system, and few studies exist for wind-pollinated trees. We examined the effects of hand-selfing, varying outcrossing distances and pollen addition on seed mass and germination rate of Polylepis australis BITT. (Rosaceae), a wind-pollinated treeline species endemic to Argentina. We also investigated pollen germination on the stigma and pollen tube growth to determine compatibility resulting from selfing and outcrossing. Selfing reduced seed germination rates with significant differences between open pollination and outcrosses at 30 km. In addition, we found a tendency for pollen germination and pollen tube growth to decrease following selfing. Between-fragment crosses resulted in a trend of higher reproductive output than within-fragment crosses, whereas values were similar between open pollination and between-fragment crosses. Pollen addition did not increase reproductive success neither in small nor in larger fragments. Our results suggest that highly isolated P. australis forests have a potential for inbreeding depression through selfing and within-fragment crosses. However, the results also indicate that pollen flow between P. australis forest fragments is still effective at the current fragmentation level, counteracting negative effects on seed quality resulting from reproductive isolation.     

The impact of extensive clonal growth on fine-scale mating patterns: a full paternity analysis of a lily-of-the-valley population (Convallaria majalis)

Background and Aims

The combination of clonality and a mating system promoting outcrossing is considered advantageous because outcrossing avoids the fitness costs of selfing within clones (geitonogamy) while clonality assures local persistence and increases floral display. The spatial spread of genetically identical plants (ramets) may, however, also decrease paternal diversity (the number of sires fertilizing a given dam) and fertility, particularly towards the centre of large clumped clones. This study aimed to quantify the impact of extensive clonal growth on fine-scale paternity patterns in a population of the allogamous Convallaria majalis.

Methods

A full analysis of paternity was performed by genotyping all flowering individuals and all viable seeds produced during a single season using AFLP. Mating patterns were examined and the spatial position of ramets was related to the extent of multiple paternity, fruiting success and seed production.

Key Results

The overall outcrossing rate was high (91 %) and pollen flow into the population was considerable (27 %). Despite extensive clonal growth, multiple paternity was relatively common (the fraction of siblings sharing the same father was 0·53 within ramets). The diversity of offspring collected from reproductive ramets surrounded by genetically identical inflorescences was as high as among offspring collected from ramets surrounded by distinct genets. There was no significant relationship between the similarity of the pollen load received by two ramets and the distance between them. Neither the distance of ramets with respect to distinct genets nor the distance to the genet centre significantly affected fruiting success or seed production.

Conclusions

Random mating and considerable pollen inflow most probably implied that pollen dispersal distances were sufficiently high to mitigate local mate scarcity despite extensive clonal spread. The data provide no evidence for the intrusion of clonal growth on fine-scale plant mating patterns.     

繁殖保障和延迟自交的研究进展

尽管植物在进化过程中面临不利自花授粉的选择,但许多植物仍维持混合的授粉机制。繁殖保障假说是解释自交进化的最重要因子之一,一直是植物生殖生态学和进化生物学关注的焦点之一。概述了近年来的主要研究热点及其进展,包括自交进化的遗传和生态机制及理论模型探讨、繁殖保障假说的提出、验证自交能否提供繁殖保障的例证、延迟自交的类型及延迟自交能否提供繁殖保障的例证等方面。介绍了我国在繁殖保障和延迟自交方面研究的现状和不足之处,结合国际上研究繁殖保障假说的发展趋势已由单季节、单种群、单因子的研究阶段过渡到多季节、多种群、多因子（自交方式及其所占比例、花粉折损、种子折损、自交率和近交衰退）的综合研究阶段,及由传统的、经典的研究方法过渡到应用现代实验手段（如SSR、SNP等分子标记）和先进仪器设备的研究阶段,提出今后研究中应注意的问题。有必要借用多学科（植物学、生态学和分子生物学）的方法及手段进行不同物种的对比和综合细致的研究。     

Pollen limitation in the endangered Chinese endemic species Sinocalycanthus chinensis

Pollen limitation negatively impacts endangered and endemic plants with small fragmented populations, such as Sinocalycanthus chinensis, an endangered plant endemic to China. In this study, we analyzed the pollen limitation of the S. chinensis Damingshan (DMS) population in 2006, 2009, and 2010, and crossed plants with mates separated by different distances, both within and between populations. The DMS population exhibited strong pollen limitation in fruit set, seed set, and seeds per fruit in 2006, 2009, and 2010. The average accumulated pollen limitation (for fruit set times seeds per fruit) was 0.510 ± 0.180. Progeny crossed with pollen from intermediate neighboring plants within the same population (separated by 30–50 m from pollen recipients) had the lowest fitness. No optimal outcrossing distance was found within the DMS population. Progeny from crosses with the Shunxiwu (SXW) and Daleishan (DLS) populations performed relatively better, while those from crosses with Qingliangfeng (QLF) and Longxushan (LXS) populations performed worse. Compared with average reproductive success, outbreeding depression was found in progeny from crosses with the LXS and QLF populations. Reproductive success from pure self‐pollination indicated S. chinensis is self‐compatible. Geitonogamous selfing increased reproductive success. Based on geitonogamous selfing, the proportion of selfed offspring was relatively high. These results provide basic references for the conservation of this species.     

Self‐compatibility and autonomous selfing of plants in meadow communities

• One of the most fundamental, although controversial, questions related to the evolution of plant mating systems is the distribution of outcrossing rates. Self‐compatibility, and especially autonomous self‐pollination, can become particularly beneficial in anthropogenically degraded habitats with impoverished pollinator assemblages and increased pollen limitation.
• In a hand‐pollination experiment with 46 meadow plants from the ?elezné hory Mts., Czech Republic, we evaluated the species' ability to adopt different mating systems. For a subset of the species, we also tested seed germination for inbreeding depression. Subsequently, we analysed relationships between the species' mating systems and 12 floral and life‐history traits.
• We found a relatively discrete distribution of the studied species into four groups. Fully and partially self‐incompatible species formed the largest group, followed by self‐compatible non‐selfers and mixed mating species. The germination experiment showed an absence of inbreeding depression in 19 out of 22 examined species. Nectar sugar per flower, nectar sugar per shoot and dichogamy were significant associated with the mating system.
• Spontaneous selfing ability and self‐incompatibility in species of the meadow communities had a discrete distribution, conforming to the general distribution of mating and breeding systems in angiosperms. The low frequency of spontaneous selfers and the lack of inbreeding depression at germination suggest the existence of a selection against selfing at the later ontogenetic stages. Some floral traits, such as the level of dichogamy and amount of nectar reward, may strongly impact the balance between selfing and outcrossing rates in the self‐compatible species and thus shape the evolution of mating systems.

     

狮牙草状风毛菊果期资源分配对海拔的响应

植物资源分配是目前植物生态学研究的热点问题, 主要集中在性分配和繁殖分配两个方面。该研究以分布在青藏高原的狮牙草状风毛菊(Saussurea leontodontoides)作为研究材料, 研究了6个海拔高度上果期植株的繁殖特征及资源分配的差异, 并用异速模型分析了繁殖性状及资源分配与个体大小的关系。结果显示: 1)狮牙草状风毛菊的个体大小、繁殖器官生物量、营养器官生物量、种子数和营养分配均与海拔存在极显著负相关关系, 百粒质量和繁殖分配与海拔存在极显著正相关关系。2)在不同海拔高度下, 百粒质量、种子数、繁殖器官生物量及营养分配与植株个体大小呈正相关关系; 繁殖分配与植株个体大小呈负相关关系; 而营养器官生物量与植株个体大小呈极显著正相关关系。这表明海拔和个体大小对狮牙草状风毛菊的繁殖对策有不同程度的影响, 狮牙草状风毛菊通过增加繁殖部分的生物量和百粒质量来适应高海拔的胁迫环境。     

Equivocal evidence for a change in balance between selfing and pollinator-mediated reproduction in annual Brassicaceae growing along a rainfall gradient

Because many plants ensure their reproductive success using some level of self-fertilization, it is predicted that the balance between pollinator-mediated pollen transfer and autonomous selfing will be correlated with habitat harshness and pollinator activity. To study these correlations, we used three annual species that differ in their self-incompatibility and compared their reproductive success in the form of fruit production and seed viability, with and without pollinators, along a rainfall gradient and in relation to pollinator activity. We found that pollinator activity decreased with increasing aridity. Although the reproductive success in the absence of pollinators fitted the species’ level of self-incompatibility, no clear trend was detected between pollinator visits or site harshness and relative reproductive success. Only one of the species, Sinapis alba, showed a consistent increase in autonomous selfing with both increased aridity and decreased pollinator visits, a finding that was supported by an increase in the viability of seeds produced in the absence of pollinators. Nevertheless, unlike our prediction, the absolute number of seeds produced per S. alba flower increased with aridity. Our overall findings suggest that despite decreasing pollinator abundance and diversity with increasing aridity, the reproductive success of annual species, even of those with high self-incompatibility, remains relatively high. Although there may be several mechanisms governing these results, the overall constant seed production despite environmental uncertainties may be part of the mechanism by which plants in arid ecosystems buffer environmental variations.     

Relative impact of mate versus pollinator availability on pollen limitation and outcrossing rates in a mass‐flowering species

Plant mating systems are driven by several pre‐pollination factors, including pollinator availability, mate availability and reproductive traits. We investigated the relative contributions of these factors to pollination and to realized outcrossing rates in the patchily distributed mass‐flowering shrub Rhododendron ferrugineum. We jointly monitored pollen limitation (comparing seed set from intact and pollen‐supplemented flowers), reproductive traits (herkogamy, flower size and autofertility) and mating patterns (progeny array analysis) in 28 natural patches varying in the level of pollinator availability (flower visitation rates) and of mate availability (patch floral display estimated as the total number of inflorescences per patch). Our results showed that patch floral display was the strongest determinant of pollination and of the realized outcrossing rates in this mass‐flowering species. We found an increase in pollen limitation and in outcrossing rates with increasing patch floral display. Reproductive traits were not significantly related to patch floral display, while autofertility was negatively correlated to outcrossing rates. These findings suggest that mate limitation, arising from high flower visitation rates in small plant patches, resulted in low pollen limitation and high selfing rates, while pollinator limitation, arising from low flower visitation rates in large plant patches, resulted in higher pollen limitation and outcrossing rates. Pollinator‐mediated selfing and geitonogamy likely alleviates pollen limitation in the case of reduced mate availability, while reduced pollinator availability (intraspecific competition for pollinator services) may result in the maintenance of high outcrossing rates despite reduced seed production.     

All in an afternoon: mixed breeding system in one-day lasting flowers of Hypericum elodes L. (Hypericaceae)

Knowledge about mixed mating systems can improve our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of reproductive systems. Here we report a study of the floral and reproductive biology of Hypericum elodes, an Atlantic-European soft-water pools specialist which shows a floral architecture consistent with both self- and cross-pollination. Controlled pollination experiments were performed in a natural population during three consecutive years. Marked flowers were monitored until fruit production, and laboratory germination experiments were conducted with the seeds produced. Plants were self-compatible (SCI>0.75), however, compared with selfing, cross-pollination enhanced fruit-set, seed-set and seedling growth, but not seed germination. Inbreeding depression (δ) was mild in the pre-dispersal stages (δ = 0.22 for fruit set, 0.18 for seed set and 0.13 for seed mass), low for germination percentage (δ = 0.003) and mild for seedling growth (δ = 0.23). The breeding system of H. elodes promotes outcrossing and assures reproductive success by means of competitive autogamy. Our results suggest a mixed mating strategy for the studied population, characterized by mild inbreeding depression (cumulative δ = 0.57), highlighting the benefit of this reproductive mode in unpredictable habitat, as the typical shallow-water meadows where H. elodes grows.