葡萄新品种‘黑美人’的选育

‘黑美人’是从美人指的实生种子播种获得后代中选出的优质中熟葡萄新品种。该品种平均穗重850 g,平均粒重9.5 g,果粒长椭圆形,蓝黑色,果粉浓,果实可溶性固形物17.5%~19.5%,果肉较软,每果粒含种子1~3粒,在江苏张家港地区,8月中旬果实成熟。     

葡萄新品种——‘藤玉’的选育

‘藤玉’是从‘藤稔’和‘紫玉’的杂交后代中选出的优质中熟葡萄新品种。该品种平均穗质量875 g,平均粒质量15.38 g,最大粒重25.8 g。果粒近圆形,紫红-紫黑色,可溶性固形物16.5%~19%,果肉中等脆,每果粒含种子1~2粒。在张家港地区,8月上旬浆果成熟。植株生长势强。芽眼萌发率为83.33%,结果枝占芽眼总数66.67%,每果枝平均着生果穗数1.25个。此品种抗逆性强,易于管理。     

大叶相思花部形态与开花生物学研究

对大叶相思(Acacia auriculiformis)栽培植株进行观察,用光学显微镜和扫描电子显微镜(SEM)对其花部形态和开花生物学特征进行研究。结果表明,大叶相思开花期为8～12月,穗状花序由114.9±11.9朵花组成,每朵花含124.1±16.5枚雄蕊,每雄蕊含有8粒16合花粉,单花花粉量为15885粒;雌蕊1枚,具14.4±1.8个胚珠,柱头凹陷,属于湿柱头类型。P/O值为1103.1;大叶相思花在夜间开放,开花可分为5个阶段。开花期间观察到雌蕊先于雄蕊伸出花冠和雄蕊先于雌蕊伸出花冠并存的现象,推测雌雄基本同熟。SEM观察花药在开花的第2阶段形成开裂线,第4阶段完全开裂并开始散粉。雄蕊于开花第1天的9: 00～12: 00大量散粉;雌蕊柱头在开花第1天上午出现分泌物,随后逐渐减少。开花后3~4 d柱头开始凋零,柱头可授期约为3 d,以开花第1天10: 00之后的可授性最佳。     

甘南红景天濒危的生殖生态学因素分析

为了寻找保护和恢复甘南红景天种群的有效途径,本文分析了甘南红景天的繁育系统、生殖过程、开花物候特征及影响生殖成功的主要因子.结果表明:甘南红景天为雌雄异株,雄花在花芽分化初期为两性植株,但随着花的不断发育,雌蕊的胚囊发育到一定阶段时败育,两性植株基本仅执行雄性功能,种群繁殖为异交,以风媒传粉方式为主,种群花期出现在全年降雨和气温较高的季节.6月初现蕾,6月中旬开花,7月上旬进入盛花期,花期在36 d左右,8月下旬果实成熟.两性植株略早于雌花开放,花期(10.2 d)大于雌性植株(8.4 d).由于部分雌花不易授粉,部分花蕾、胚珠损失,1~3年的幼龄植株几乎不开花结实,群落中只有11%的植株开花结实,种子自然繁殖率极低,约为2%.从花蕾到开花,雌性单株有20.0%～25.1%的花蕾损失; 从开花到结实,单株51.1%～65.0%的花败育;至种子成熟,仅10.1%～21.0%的胚珠发育成种子.雌性单株平均种子产量为158.1粒,人工条件下种子发芽率为81.5%,幼苗第一年的成活率为36.0%.表明种子质量不是导致甘南红景天濒危的原因,而花粉限制、种子产量和幼苗的成活率是真正影响其生殖成功和导致濒危的主要生殖生态学因素.     

南方山荷叶中甸居群繁殖生物学研究

对分布于云南中甸地区南方山荷叶进行的繁殖生物学研究结果表明 :南方山荷叶有性生殖良好 ,性成熟个体的花在开花前一年 7月末 8月初开始分化并以休眠芽的形式度过冬天及早春 ;花在次年春天开放并在植株露出地面 1 0 d之后进行传粉 ;每个体有花 3～ 2 8朵 ,每花有胚珠 1～ 1 7枚 ,每个体有胚珠 40～ 2 0 2枚 ;在自然条件下南方山荷叶传粉方式为异花授粉 (但自交可育 ) ,其传粉昆虫为叶蜂类和甲虫类 ;天然居群具有较高的结实率 ( 58.3%～1 0 0 .0 % ) ,每个体有果实 3～ 2 6枚 ,每果实有种子 0～ 1 1粒 ,平均结籽率为 60 .41 % ,每个体平均种子产量 47.0 5。南方山荷叶常可通过根状茎进行营养繁殖形成无性系植株。人工繁殖时既可用种子繁殖 ,亦可用切割根状茎来进行营养繁殖。     

不同品种黑莓的花期生物学特征及花粉活力观察

对黑莓(Rubusspp.)9个品种的开花物候期、花器官性状及花粉生活力进行了观察,并对其花粉的贮藏条件进行了初步研究。结果表明,黑莓开花期为4月中旬至6月初,花期长19~35 d;每株有花穗50.67~127.33个,花穗长8.30~14.95 cm,每穗有花4.95~7.63朵;花色为白色、粉红色和红色,花冠直径3.07~5.28 cm。黑莓不同品种的花期、花穗数量与大小、花色和花冠大小等均存在显著差异。不同黑莓品种的花粉萌发率可达50.29%~85.16%;随贮藏时间的延长,花粉萌发率逐渐下降;在0℃~4℃、相对湿度10%~20%条件下密封贮存,有利于保持花粉的生活力。     

三色马先蒿的引种栽培研究

本文报道三色马先蒿有性繁殖及植株生长与发育的调控技术。种子发芽率达８５％,发芽势４０％。栽培植株能在引种地正常开花结实,株平均开花数４５朵,结实率５０％。     

冷箭竹生殖特性研究

１９８１－１９９０年对冷箭竹（Ｂａｓｈａｎｉａｆａｎｇｅｎｉａ）开花、结实、种子萌发、幼苗更新复壮等生殖特性进行了观察。冷箭竹开花周期为４５－５５年,开花持续期约１０年,１９８３年盛花期测定茎秆上着生花序的长度平均为１７０．８ｃｍ,每１茎秆上的小花数为１２８０．３枚,每朵小花从开放至萎蔫的持续期约６天,花药持续开裂时间为０．７７天,花粉生活力达９６．７％,柱头承受花粉时间为２．３天,雌蕊子房发育为果实平均为３５８６粒／ｍ￣２,未受粉的瘪粒为１３９９４粒／ｍ￣２。种子生活力为２７．６％,种子发芽率为１５％－２０％,当年生幼苗成活率为７６％－９３％。     

西藏高原高寒植物长鞭红景天生殖特征成功及影响因子

为了探索高寒植物长鞭红景天(Rhodiola fastigiata)濒危的生殖生态学机理,寻找保护和恢复该物种的有效途径,对其繁育系统、开花物候特征、生殖过程(开花、结实、种子产量和发育)及其影响生殖成功的主要因子进行调查分析。结果表明:长鞭红景天包括两性植株和雌性植株两种类型,其中两性植株仅执行雄性功能,种群繁殖为异交,属风媒传粉方式。种群花期出现在1a中降雨和气温较高的季节,6月下旬开始开花,7月下旬结束,时间30d左右。单株开花动态呈现单峰和双峰曲线两种模式,两性植株花期(9.29d)大于雌性植株花期(7.06d),并先于雌性植株开放,但雌性植株开花的高峰期比两性花早。从花蕾到开花,雌性单株有16%—25%的花蕾损失;开花到结实,单株36%—57%的花败育;至种子成熟,共有84%—94%的胚珠损失,仅6%—16%的胚珠发育成种子。雌性单株平均种子产量估计值约为285粒,说明长鞭红景天生殖潜力较大。人工条件下种子发芽率为93.6%,可见种子质量不是导致其濒危的原因,花粉限制和种子产量可能是影响生殖成功的主要因素。     

小毛茛雌蕊群的授粉率及花粉管生长途径

为探讨毛茛属中是否具有与慈姑属中类似的花粉管再分配现象,对小毛茛开花后不同时期柱头的授粉率和花粉量进行了统计,并采用荧光显微术观察了其花粉在雌蕊群中的萌发及花粉管生长过程。该种的每朵花中含有39.2±9.9个离生心皮,开花过程常持续4~6d,开花2d后,柱头授粉率就可达到100%,平均每柱头的花粉量在3d后达到17.0±2.4粒。虽然开花的当天即有少数柱头落置有花粉粒,但花粉萌发常自开花的次日开始。花粉管先沿各雌蕊之向心一侧的组织中穿行至子房基部后部分花粉管转向胚珠,由珠孔进入珠心。从花粉粒落置于柱头到花粉管进入珠心大约需要24h。尽管毛茛属有着与慈姑属类似的多心皮雌蕊群,但大量的荧光显微观察表明,与慈姑属植物中不同的是,小毛茛的花粉管生长均局限于每一雌蕊中而不能穿过子房向其他雌蕊生长。雌蕊群的比较解剖发现野慈姑的子房基部有一条通向花托表面的孔道,这正是花粉管由一个雌蕊到另一个雌蕊的通路,但小毛茛的子房基部不存在此孔道。     

Nectarless flowers with deep corolla tubes in Pedicularis: does long pistil length provide an arena for male competition?

Pollinator‐mediated selection does not seem to have a direct influence on the evolution of a long corolla tube in a nectarless flower. We hypothesized that the long pistil length of the nectarless flower with a deep corolla tube provided an opportunity for male competition. Pedicularis siphonantha, a nectarless and partially self‐incompatible lousewort with substantial variation in corolla tube length, was used to test the hypothesis. We tested whether and how corolla tube length affected seed production per capsule and seed germination rate with different pollination treatments. Flowers were hand‐pollinated with pollen from one self donor and one outcross donor and mixed pollen grains consisting of equal amounts from the two donor types, respectively. Additionally, seeds from open‐pollinated flowers with different corolla tube lengths were collected separately for measurement of germination rate. Pollination treatment and corolla tube length significantly affected number of seeds per capsule. Moreover, a significant positive relationship between seeds per capsule and corolla tube length was found when mixed hand pollination was conducted. Seeds of self hand‐pollinated flowers had a lower germination rate than those from outcross‐pollinated flowers. Under open pollination, seeds from flowers with longer corolla tubes tended to have higher germination rate. In P. siphonantha, outcross pollen may have a higher probability of contributing to the next generation when transferred to flowers with longer corolla tubes. The pistil length, therefore, should be seen as a female choice mechanism, which provides an arena for male‐to‐male competition. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 179 , 526–532.     

The influence of plant and corolla size on pollen deposition and seed set in Geranium sanguineum (Geraniaceae)

In a coastal grassland area the influence of plant and corolla size on insect visitation rate, pollen deposition on stigmas and seed set was measured in a natural population of Geranium sanguineum. Visits by bumble bees, the primal pollinators, were significantly affected by plant size measured as the number of flowers, and differences in visit rates among plants were explained by size differences among these. On average, larger plants had bigger corollas. The mean corolla area affected pollen deposition positively whereas deposition did neither affect seed set (number per flower) nor seed weight. Insects reaction to corolla size was dependent on plant size, and thus we found the effect of corolla size on pollen deposition to decline with plant size. Instead pollen deposition per plant seemed to be correlated to overall floral display. We argued that resource status of the individual plants could explain corolla size and seed set variation. The finding of some plant setting seeds while other plant with comparable size did not set any seeds could not be explained satisfactory by resource limitation.     

ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES AND PHENOTYPIC CORRELATES OF PETAL SIZE VARIATION IN WILD RADISH,RAPHANUS SATIVUS (BRASSICACEAE)

In this paper we examine some ecological consequences and phenotypic correlates of flower size variation in wild radish, Raphanus sativus. Mean corolla diameter varied significantly among individuals within natural populations of R. sativus in California. On the average, almost 40% of flower biomass was allocated to corolla tissue. In field experiments, pollinator visitation increased significantly with corolla size. Large flowers also accumulated more nectar when pollinators were excluded from plants. In three populations, corolla size was positively correlated with allocation to pollen per flower (either anther weight or pollen grain number), but there was usually no phenotypic relationship between corolla size and several measures of female allocation (ovule number per flower, proportion fruit set, and total seed mass per fruit). Plants growing in the field produced fewer large flowers per unit of stem, and stem biomass was negatively related to corolla size for plants grown under controlled greenhouse conditions. Male and female fitness may covary differently with allocation to attractive floral features in species such as R. sativus, where seed production is often limited by resources rather than by pollen.     

Temporal patterns of seed set and decelerating fitness returns on female allocation in Zigadenus paniculatus (Liliaceae), an andromonoecious lily

I describe temporal patterns of seed production in the andromonoecious lily Zigadenus particulatus. Fruit set per flower and seed set per fruit declined through time within plants. Hand pollination experiments showed that this was not due to increasing pollen limitation. Nutrient supplementation had little effect on seed output, but leaf clipping reduced seed production, especially in late-blooming flowers, and removal of early-blooming flowers increased seed set by later flowers. Thus, the temporal pattern of seed output was due to declining availability of photosynthates. Plants with larger bulbs produced larger inflorescences, a greater proportion of hermaphrodite flowers, more fruits per hermaphrodite flower, and more seeds per fruit, but lost a greater fraction of their initial bulb mass as a consequence of fruiting. After controlling for the effects of bulb mass, plants with larger inflorescences produced a greater proportion of male flowers, and plants with more hermaphrodite flowers produced fewer fruits per hermaphrodite flower and fewer seeds per fruit. Thus, the female fitness gain curve was decelerating. The temporal decline in seed output provides a partial explanation for the parallel decline in allocation to pistils. However, a complete explanation for the pattern of gamete packaging requires an understanding of factors controlling male, as well as female, fitness.     

Sex and pollen: the role of males in stabilising a plant-seed eater pollinating mutualism

Some plants are exclusively pollinated by an insect whose larvae feed on their seeds. The net outcome of a single visit for the plant depends on the number of ovules fertilised by the visitor, the number of eggs laid, and the number of seeds eaten by each larva. Unlike other known plant-seed eater pollinating mutualisms, the globeflower-globeflower fly mutualism (Trollius europaeus-Chiastocheta spp.) is unique in that not only females but also males visit flowers, and both sexes are potential pollinators. I analysed the relative efficiency of Chiastocheta males versus females in transporting pollen and fertilising globeflower ovules. I show that there is no sex-specific morphological adaptation or behaviour to enhance pollen collection and transportation in Chiastocheta flies, and that males contribute to pollination. However, because of their smaller body size, males transport significantly less pollen than females. Less seeds are produced after a visit from a male than after a visit from a female. A single female visit contributes to about 12% of total seed production, and a single male visit to only 5.4%. Females tend to spend more time inside the flower than males, and the number of ovules fertilised is significantly correlated with the time insects spent inside the closed corolla. The lower efficiency of ovule fertilisation by a male's single visit is compensated for by the higher rate of flower visitation by males: a flower receives about twice as many visits from males as from females during a time unit. The contribution of males to pollination is of major importance with respect to understanding the evolutionary stability of the globeflower-globeflower fly mutualism, as males satiate pollen requirement of flowers, masking the antagonistic effect of ovipositing females.     

DOWN THE TUBE: POLLINATORS, PREDATORS, AND THE EVOLUTION OF FLOWER SHAPE IN THE ALPINE SKYPILOT, POLEMONIUM VISCOSUM

Abstract We address how a conflict between pollinator attraction and avoidance of flower predation influences the evolution of flower shape in Polemonium viscosum. Flower shape in P. viscosum is the product of an isometric relationship between genetically correlated (r_A= 0.70) corolla flare and length. Bumblebee pollinators preferentially visit flowers that are more flared and have longer tubes, selecting for a funnel‐shaped corolla. However, flower shape also influences nectar‐foraging ants that sever the style at its point of attachment to the ovary. Surveys of ant damage show that plants having flowers with flared, short corollas are most vulnerable to ant predation. Consistent with this result, the ratio of corolla length to flare is significantly greater in a krummholz (high predation risk) population than in a tundra (low predation risk) population. To explicitly test whether the evolution of a better defended flower would exact a cost in pollination, we created tubular flowers by constricting the corolla during development. Performance of tubular flowers and natural controls was compared for defensive and attractive functions. In choice trials, ants entered control flowers significantly more often than tubular ones, confirming that the evolution of tubular flowers would reduce the risk of predation. However, in a bumblebee‐pollinated population, tubular flowers received significantly less pollen and set fewer seeds than controls. A fitness model incorporating these data predicts that in the absence of the genetic correlation between corolla length and flare, intermittent selection for defense could allow tubular flowers to spread in the krummholz population. However, in the tundra, where bumblebees account for nearly all pollination, the model predicts that tubular flowers should always confer a fitness disadvantage.     

Impact of the flower stalk-boring moth Neoschoenobia testacealis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) and water-level fluctuations on the flower and fruit production of the yellow water lily Nuphar subintegerrima (Nymphaeaceae) in irrigation ponds of western Japan

The flower and fruit production of the yellow water lily Nuphar subintegerrima and the seasonal occurrence of the flower stalk-boring moth Neoschoenobia testacealis were surveyed in two irrigation ponds in western Japan. Water-level fluctuations at each pond were measured. Flowering was observed from late May to September, and fruiting from late May to October. The yellow water lily produced cumulative numbers of 189 and 181 flowers and 121 and 129 fruits in the two ponds’ quadrats. The fruit setting rates at the two ponds were 0.64 and 0.71, and decreased in the summer. The percentage of bored flower stalks was 16 and 5%. Mature larvae bored flower stalks severely during the summer. Whenever the boring larvae attacked the flower stalks, the flower buds and flowers were aborted. There was a significant negative correlation between the fruit setting rate and the boring rate per month (number of bored flower stalks/number of all flower stalks). Whenever abruptly rising water levels (about 10 cm) submerged the flowers, the flowers were aborted too and could not set fruits. The percentages of non-setting fruit due to the rising water levels at the two ponds were 6 and 8%. Overall, our results indicated that flower stalk boring was a more important factor than water-level fluctuation in the sexual reproduction of N. subintegerrima and that N. subintegerrima was well suited to small irrigation ponds.     

Marcescent corollas as functional structures: effects on the fecundity of two insect-pollinated plants

Background and aims

Persistence of withered corollas after anthesis (‘corolla marcescence’) is widespread in angiosperms, yet its functional significance does not seem to have been explored for any species. This note reports the results of experiments assessing the fecundity effects of marcescent corollas in two southern Spanish insect-pollinated plants, Lavandula latifolia (Lamiaceae) and Viola cazorlensis (Violaceae).

Methods

The effect of marcescent corollas on seed production was evaluated experimentally on wild-growing plants. Newly open flowers were randomly assigned to either control or treatment groups in experimental plants. After anthesis, withered corollas of treatment flowers were removed and those in control flowers were left in place. Fruits produced by treatment and control flowers were collected shortly before dehiscence and the number of seeds counted.

Key Results

In V. cazorlensis, removal of withered corollas had no effect on percentage of fruit set, but mean seeds per fruit increased from 9·5 to 11·4. In L. latifolia, corolla removal had no effect on the number of seeds per fruit, but reduced the proportion of flowers ripening fruit from 60 % to 40 %. The detrimental effect of corolla removal on L. latifolia fecundity resulted from the drastic increase in fruit infestation by seed-predatory cecidomyiid larvae, which occurred in 4 % and 34 % of control and treatment fruits, respectively.

Conclusions

Because of their potential effects on plant fecundity, marcescent corollas should not be dismissed a priori as biologically irrelevant leftovers from past floral functions. The simplicity of the experimental layout required to test for short-term fecundity effects of corolla marcescence should help to achieve a better understanding of the ecological and evolutionary correlates of this widespread but poorly understood trait.     

EFFECTS OF WATER STRESS,ABSCISIC ACID,AND GIBBERELLIC ACID ON FLOWER PRODUCTION AND DIFFERENTIATION IN THE CLEISTOGAMOUS SPECIES COLLOMIA GRANDIFLORA DOUGL. EX LINDL. (POLEMONIACEAE)

The effects of water stress, abscisic acid (ABA), and gibberellic acid (GA₃) on flower production and differentiation by Collomia grandiflora were investigated. An untreated plant typically produced both small, closed cleistogamous (CL) and large, open chasmogamous (CH) flowers. The larger corolla of CH flowers was due to a greater cell number and size. When plants were water-stressed or sprayed with ABA, both the percentage of CH flowers and the total number of flowers were reduced significantly. The corolla dimensions and epidermal cell numbers and sizes of CL flowers produced by water-stressed and ABA-sprayed plants did not differ from those of CL flowers produced by control plants. Application of GA₃ to both well-watered and water-stressed plants significantly increased the percentage of CH flowers formed compared to well-watered controls. In the absence of GA₃, water-stressed plants produced almost entirely CL flowers. GA₃-sprayed plants produced CH flowers whose corolla dimensions were intermediate between those of CL and CH flowers formed by control plants. Epidermal cells of these intermediate corollas were reduced only in number and not in size when compared to control CH flowers. Endogenous levels of ABA and gibberellins may control the type of flower produced by C. grandiflora and may mediate some of the observable effects of water stress on flowering.