Stigma receptivity over the lifetime of the hermaphroditic flower of Elsholtzia rugulosa was negatively correlated with pollen viability. (1st December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Xin-Min; Wolfe, Lorne M.
• Is Part Of: Plant signaling & behavior. Volume 11:Number 12(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-12-01
• Subjects: Dichogamy -- gynodioecy -- pollen-stigma interference -- pollen viability -- stigma receptivity; Plant ecophysiology -- Periodicals; Plant cellular signal transduction -- Periodicals; Plant cellular signal transduction; Plant ecophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 581
• DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2016.1259052
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1559-2316

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Dichogamy is generally thought to be a mechanism that prevents self-fertilization in flowering plants. This study aims to investigate the relationships between floral age and stigma receptivity, style length and pollen viability, and define how floral characters avoid self-pollination in a gynodioecious Chinese plant, Elsholtzia rugulosa . We assessed the relationships between flower age and style length, stigma receptivity, and pollen viability in E. rugulosa . This species produces 2 forms with plants bearing either hermaphrodite flowers (H) or female flowers (F). Corolla length in F flowers was shorter than the corolla length of H flowers and produced no pollen. H flowers were protandrous, pollen release of H flowers occurred before stigma receptivity. Stigma receptivity was significantly positively correlated with style length in both F flowers and H flowers. Pollen viability in H flowers declined significantly with floral age. Our results suggest that self-pollination in H flowers is likely reduced by dichogamy because stigma receptivity and pollen viability were effectively separated in time. However, because H inflorescences typically have multiple flowers open at the same time means that geitonogamous selfing is not avoided.