Functional dioecy in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Morinda parvifolia</Emphasis> (Rubiaceae), a species with stigma-height dimorphism |
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Authors: | Yan?Liu Zhonglai?Luo Xiaoqin?Wu Xiufeng?Bai Email author" target="_blank">Dianxiang?ZhangEmail author |
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Institution: | (1) Key Laboratory of Plant Resource Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650, China;(2) Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China; |
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Abstract: | The evolution of dioecy from heterostyly has been well documented, but detailed studies on this transitional process are rare.
Here we report the occurrence of cryptic dioecy in a perennial liana species with stigma-height dimorphism, Morinda parvifolia Bartl. ex DC. (Rubiaceae). Floral morphology, ancillary characters and cross compatibility of long-styled (L-morph) and short-styled
(S-morph) were examined. L-morph and S-morph display obvious pistil dimorphisms, with the stigma of S-morph lacking papillae
cells. Both floral morphs show similar pollen morphology, although pollen viability is higher in S-morph than in L-morph.
S-morph flowers produce viable pollen grains but much reduced stigma and set no fruits, functioning as males; L-morphs, although
with viable pollen grains and receptive stigmas, exhibit strong self- and intramorph incompatibility, with self- and intramorph
pollen tubes arrested in the stigma lobes and the upper part of style, respectively, resulting in L-morphs functioning only
as females. The species thus has physiological androdioecy but functional dioecy. This might be the first case showing the
possibility that androdioecy could be a mid-stage in the pathway of dioecy evolving from stigma-height dimorphism. |
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