Vislobokov Nikolay A, Galinskaya Tatiana V, Degtjareva Galina V, Valiejo-Roman Carmen M, Samigullin Tahir H, Kuznetsov Andrey N, Sokoloff Dmitry D
Department of Higher Plants, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119234, Russia Joint Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Scientific and Technological Center, CauGiay, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119234, Russia.
Am J Bot. 2014 Sep;101(9):1519-31. doi: 10.3732/ajb.1400359. Epub 2014 Sep 14.
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Aspidistra is a species-rich, herbaceous monocot genus of tropical Southeast Asia. Most species are recently discovered and apparently endangered, though virtually nothing is known about their biology. Species of the genus are primarily distinguished using flower morphology, which is enormously diverse. However, the pollination process has not been directly observed in the center of diversity of the genus (N Vietnam and S China). Indirect and partly direct data on the only widely cultivated species of the genus (A. elatior) placed it among angiosperms with the most unusual pollination biology, though these data are highly controversial, suggesting pollen transfer by mollusks, crustaceans, flies, or possibly tiny soil invertebrates such as collembolans.•
Pollination of Aspidistra xuansonensis in the center of diversity of the genus was studied using visual observations and videos and light and scanning electron microscopy investigation of flowers and their pollinators. Pollinators and their larvae were molecularly barcoded.•
Aspidistra xuansonensis is pollinated by female cecidomyiid flies (gall midges). They oviposit on anthers, and larvae develop among the pollen mass. Molecular barcoding proved taxonomic identity of the larvae and the flies. The larvae neither damage floral parts nor cause gall formation, but feed on pollen grains by sucking out their content. The larvae move out of the flowers before decomposition starts. Carebara ants steal developing larvae from flowers but do not contribute to pollination.•
More than one kind of myiophily is present in Aspidistra. Brood site pollination was documented for the first time in Aspidistra. The pollination system of A. xuansonensis differs from other kinds of brood site pollination in the exit of the larvae prior to the decomposition of floral parts.
蜘蛛抱蛋属是东南亚热带地区一个物种丰富的草本单子叶植物属。尽管对其生物学特性几乎一无所知，但大多数物种都是最近才被发现的，而且显然处于濒危状态。该属物种主要通过形态极为多样的花朵形态来区分。然而，在该属的多样性中心（越南北部和中国南部）尚未直接观察到授粉过程。关于该属唯一广泛栽培的物种（蜘蛛抱蛋）的间接及部分直接数据表明，它属于被子植物中授粉生物学最为独特的一类，不过这些数据极具争议，暗示其花粉传播者可能是软体动物、甲壳类动物、苍蝇，或者可能是诸如弹尾虫等微小的土壤无脊椎动物。
通过视觉观察、视频以及对花朵及其传粉者进行光学和扫描电子显微镜研究，对蜘蛛抱蛋属多样性中心的宣山蜘蛛抱蛋进行授粉研究。对传粉者及其幼虫进行分子条形码鉴定。
宣山蜘蛛抱蛋由雌性瘿蚊（瘿蚊科）传粉。它们在花药上产卵，幼虫在花粉团中发育。分子条形码鉴定证明了幼虫与瘿蚊的分类学一致性。幼虫既不损害花部，也不导致瘿瘤形成，而是通过吸食花粉粒内容物来取食。在花朵开始腐烂之前，幼虫会离开花朵。大头蚁会从花朵中偷走发育中的幼虫，但对授粉并无贡献。
蜘蛛抱蛋属存在不止一种蝇媒传粉方式。首次记录到蜘蛛抱蛋属的繁殖场所授粉现象。宣山蜘蛛抱蛋的授粉系统与其他类型的繁殖场所授粉不同之处在于，幼虫在花部腐烂之前就离开了。
