元宝枫花芽分化及花开放过程研究

为探明元宝枫花性别、交配系统及花芽分化过程,通过石蜡切片和连续解剖观察,对元宝枫花开放及花芽分化过程进行了研究。结果表明：(1)元宝枫花性别可分为雌能花和雄能花两种,雌能花花药不开裂,只表现雌性功能,而雄能花分Ⅰ型和Ⅱ型两种,花药均可产生成熟花粉并开裂散粉,只表现雄性功能。(2)元宝枫是较为少见的二重雌雄异型异熟树种,且交配系统有雄先型和雌先型两种;雄先型小花开放顺序为：雄能花→雌能花→雄能花,雌先型小花开放顺序为雌能花→雄能花→雄能花。(3)元宝枫花芽的形态分化期开始于7月上旬,花序和小花分化期为8月上旬,雄蕊和雌蕊分化开始于8月下旬,雌配子体发育晚于雄配子体。(4)元宝枫花性别分化的关键期为第二年的3月下旬至4月上旬。     

Influence of asymmetrical mating patterns and male reproductive success on the maintenance of sexual polymorphism in Acer pictum subsp. mono (Aceraceae)

Populations of Acer species often contain more than three sex phenotypes with complex sexual polymorphism including duodichogamy, protandry and protogyny. We identified the mechanisms that maintain sexual polymorphism in Acer pictum subsp. mono, a temperate tree from northern China, by investigating maternal mating patterns and male reproductive success. We used paternity analyses to estimate rates of outcrossing and disassortative mating, as well as male outcrossed siring success, in a population of A. pictum subsp. mono with uneven sex phenotype ratios (duodichogamous 69.1%, protandrous 19.6%, protogynous 11.3%). We used a pollen‐transfer model to investigate whether the unequal ratios of sex phenotypes could be explained by the observed patterns of mating. Most progeny resulted from outcrossing, particularly disassortative among the sex phenotypes. Although the duodichogamous phenotype showed a significant amount of intraphenotypic mating, the frequency did not exceed that of disassortative mating. We detected no significant differences in male outcrossed siring success among the sex phenotypes. The pollen‐transfer model demonstrated that sex phenotype ratios could be maintained by the observed mating pattern in the population. Our results indicate that disassortative mating among the sex phenotypes can maintain sexual polymorphism in A. pictum subsp. mono and that ratios biased towards duodichogamy can result from frequent intraphenotypic mating in this phenotype.