Flowering and Fruiting Phenology of Magnolia hypoleuca

Abstract The floral biology of Magnolia hypoleuca , a tall tree species widely distributed in Japan, was studied in a deciduous broad-leaved forest in Hokkaido near the northern limit of distribution of the species. The flower is large, protogynous and nectarless. Its petals close after the female stage and again after the male stage. The mean duration of flowering of an individual flower is 3–4 days, while the flowering period of an individual tree lasts up to 40 days. The main pollinators of the flowers were beetles. Success of pollination is assumed to be affected by weather conditions at anthesis. Average fruit sets (ratios of fruits to flowers) were 13–25%. Hand-pollination of 44 flowers produced a significantly higher fruit set (28 fruits) than control flowers (33/133). These results suggest that the fruit set is limited by pollination. The frequency of infertile ovules was higher in controls than in hand-pollinated fruits, indicating that the seed set was also limited by pollination. We propose a mimicry hypothesis in which the non-rewarding female-stage flower mimics the rewarding male-stage flower to explain the short life-span of an individual flower, the long flowering period of an individual tree, and the coexistence of flowers of various stages on a single tree.     

Spatio-temporal variation in pollen limitation and reproductive success of two scape morphs in Primula farinosa

In plant populations where reproductive output is limited by pollinator visitation, plants with attractive floral displays should have a selective advantage. We examined the effect of inflorescence height on pollination success in Primula farinosa, which is dimorphic for scape length. To test the hypothesis that fruit and seed initiation are more strongly pollen-limited in the short-scaped than in the long-scaped morph, and that this difference is affected by spatio-temporal variation in pollen limitation, we conducted a hand-pollination experiment in four populations over 2 yr. Pollen limitation of fruit initiation varied among populations and years, and was stronger in the short-scaped than in the long-scaped morph. The results suggest that interactions with pollinators will need to be considered for a full understanding of the maintenance of this striking polymorphism. The study also shows that, although pollen limitation is likely to vary in space and time in many plant species, such variation is not necessarily associated with variation in selection on floral characters.     

不同生境对蝴蝶花花部与果实特征的影响

通过对毛竹林(Bamboo forest,BF)与林缘旷地(Open area of forest edge,OAFE)两类生境蝴蝶花自然种群花部与果实(种子)特征及降雨干扰影响的研究,探讨不同生境中蝴蝶花花部特征适应性及有性各组分的差异。结果表明:(1)竹林生境相对于林缘旷地生境,蝴蝶花单花花冠的长、宽较大,子房、花部(除花柄)及单花总生物量较小,比花柄长较大;两类生境蝴蝶花花柄生物量与子房生物量呈正相关(P0.05),协方差分析表明,两类生境该直线回归的总体斜率间(F=18.420,P0.001)及总体截距间(F=3791.7,P0.001)均具有显著差异,竹林生境花柄生物量随子房生物量增大而增大的程度更强。竹林生境的蝴蝶花侧花花冠长与宽最高,竹林生境顶花次之,林缘旷地顶花与林缘旷地侧花最低;花部(除花柄)与全花重都表现为林缘旷地侧花最高,林缘旷地顶花次之,竹林侧花与竹林顶花最低。比花柄长随竹林侧花与竹林顶花-林缘旷地侧花-林缘旷地顶花依次降低;竹林顶花的花柄比率最高,竹林侧花与林缘旷地侧花最低。(2)林缘旷地生境中蝴蝶花的每花序花数、花序结果百分率、单花结果百分率、每结果花序果实数、每结果花序果实重与种子重及花期内每花序掉落花数都高于竹林生境。(3)林缘旷地生境大雨干扰的4个时段花朵掉落数显著高于竹林环境(P0.01)。不同生境花部形态结构特征表明其自身的生境适应性,林缘旷地生境蝴蝶花为抵御干扰及为获得有性繁殖成功,有性组分的投入更高。     

Proximate Limitations to Fruit and Seed Set in Phellodendron amurense var. sachalinense

Abstract Fruit and seed set in a dioecious tree, Phellodendron amurense var. sachalinense grown in isolation, were studied for three years in Hokkaido, northern Japan. Hand pollination did not affect fruit set during the three years, but did affect seed-set by increasing the proportion of fruits with higher seed numbers. Artificial defoliation resulted in decreased mean seed mass, but caused no significant differences in mean seed number per fruit. Total seed mass per infructescence increased with inflorescence size except with artificial defoliation where it reached an upper limit. Although the results of the artificial defoliation treatment indicate that resources are most important for fruit and seed set, it is concluded that fruit and seed set of the tree are not limited by resources, since the number of fruits increased with inflorescence size and an artificial defoliation treatment did not decrease seed-number.     

Fitness components of the hybrid Phlomis x margaritae Aparicio & Silvestre (Lamiaceae)

Studies of microsporogenesis, pollen germination, pollen stainability, fruit and seed set and ovary predation have been undertaken to evaluate the fitness of the hybrid genotype of Phlomis x margaritae relative to its parents (P. purpurea and P. x composita) and allied taxa (P. x composita nothom. composita, P. x composita nothom. trulknqueiz , and P. lychnitis). Phlomis x margaritae shows irregular meiosis with very low pollen germination rate and very high pollen sterility, no seed set, and very high ovary predation. It thus has very low reproductive success and fitness. Phlomis x composita nothom. trullenquei also shows low pollen germination and seed set, but these follow regular microsporogenesis. The existence of cryptic structural sterility is suggested for this taxon. The rest of the studied taxa (P. purpurea, P. lychnitis and P. x composita nothom. composita) were fertile and can support the specific or subspecific taxonomic status of P. x composita. A fixed ovule abortion pattern in the taxa with yellow flowers was found, since 'brood size' consisted just of one seed per fruit. On the contrary, P. purpurea was found to produce from one to four seeds per fruit. Some conservation implications are suggested.     

Divergent seed production responses of white and blue flowers of Gentiana leucomelaena (Gentianaceae) to warming and watering

Background: The adaptation, evolution and function of flower colour diversity in response to changing environments are one of the oldest puzzles in plant ecology. It is logical that comparative studies on fitness of flower colour would be the most meaningful if they were conducted on the same genotype.

Aims: We used Gentiana leucomelaena, which produces both white and blue flowers on different tillers of the same individual, as a model species to test adaption and fitness differences of contrasting flowers in contrasting environments.

Methods: We examined seed production by white and blue flowers in response to increased temperatures (28 °C/2 °C vs. 12 °C/2 °C; 12 h light/12 h dark) in a climate chamber study and to watering in the field (+1.5 l m^?2 d^?1 vs. control with no supplementary irrigation).

Results: For white and blue flowers warming decreased but watering increased seed number. Increased temperature and watering increased the size of seeds from white flowers, but neither warming nor watering significantly changed seed size of blue flowers. Seed size was significantly negatively correlated with seed number in the temperature treatments but positively correlated in watering treatments. The positive correlation was strong in white flowers, but the negative correlation was stronger in blue than in white flowers.

Conclusions: Water availability and low temperature confer an advantage to white flowers, while warming and dry habitats favour blue flowers. These divergent responses may influence total plant fitness and thus help explain the adaptive value and evolution of flower colour diversity.     

Effects of salt stress on the reproductive biology of the halophyte <Emphasis Type="Italic">Plantago crassifolia</Emphasis>

Floral phenology, pollen quality and seed set of Plantago crassifolia plants, grown in the presence of increasing NaCl concentrations, were studied to test how this Mediterranean halophyte responded to salt stress during the reproductive phase of its life cycle. Reproductive success was maximal in plants grown in non-saline conditions, or in the presence of 100 mM NaCl, but it was negatively affected by higher salinities, due to a progressive reduction of pollen fertility, seed set, and seed viability.     

A Top-Down Hierarchy in Fruit Set on Inflorescences in Iris fulva (Iridaceae)

Abstract: In Iris fulva, the apical flower on an inflorescence opens first, and the flowering sequence then proceeds from the most basal flower upward to the apex (acropetally). Flowering order and flower position are thus partially decoupled, and this provides an opportunity to separately investigate the effects of these two factors upon fruit formation. We recorded natural patterns of fruit set and seed production, and found that fruit set patterns were determined by what appears to be a form of apical dominance. The first, apical flower had the highest fruit set and seed production. Fruit set decreased towards the base of the inflorescence, with later-opening flowers having a higher fruit set. This is contrary to the pattern usually observed in other acropetally flowering plants, which is a higher fruit set for basal, early flowers. By performing additional hand pollinations and counting pollen grains on naturally pollinated flowers, we found that pollen deposition was not a major factor limiting fruit set, and that it could not explain the large difference in fruit set between the apical and basal flowers. Removing the first flower after it had wilted increased fruit set in the remaining flowers, but mainly in the more apical flowers. Only by removing the two topmost flowers could we obtain an increase in fruit set for the basal flower. The fact that the basal flower rarely sets fruit, despite being closer to resources, suggests that the apical meristem is either a strong sink for resources or produces hormones that form a gradient along the inflorescence, which is comparable with apical dominance.     

Significance of flower exploding pollination on the reproduction of the Scotch broom, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cytisus scoparius</Emphasis> (Leguminosae)

The significance of single flower visits by pollinators on the reproductive success of the Scotch broom, Cytisus scoparius, with explosive flowers was investigated. Unexploded flowers (intact flowers) produced no fruit, implying that autonomous selfing and apomixis do not occur and that the explosion of flowers by insects is necessary for the fertilization of flowers. The fruit set in the natural condition was intermediate between that in artificial selfing or exploding and that in artificial outcrossing. Seed set and the ratio of seeds to ovules did not differ significantly between the natural condition and artificial outcrossing. The fruit set by a single flower visit from Apis mellifera was similar to natural conditions. Apis mellifera was the most frequent visitor and the number of flowers tripped open per hour was the highest among all the flower visitors. Approximately 75% of pollen on a flower disappeared in a single flower visit by A.mellifera. The small amount of pollen remaining on already-exploded flowers appears to be the reason why A.mellifera do not frequently visit already-exploded flowers. The higher seed set by outcrossing was believed to contribute to the seed set in both natural conditions and single flower visits by A.mellifera, and did not differ between them. Therefore, at least in Japan, A.mellifera appears to be the most important pollinator for C.scoparius, resulting in a high outcrossing rate with each single flower visit.