Jirabanjongjit Awapa, Traiperm Paweena, Sando Tomoki, Stewart Alyssa B
Department of Plant Science, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
Thai-Asahi Co., Ltd., Nakhon Ratchasima 30190, Thailand.
Plants (Basel). 2021 Nov 7;10(11):2402. doi: 10.3390/plants10112402.
is extremely rare, and very little is known about its reproduction. The species has colorful flowers that seem likely to attract pollinators, but population sizes are typically small (<30 individuals). To determine whether poor reproduction contributes to its rarity, we investigated its mating system and potential pollinators in two populations. We also examined the staminal trichomes and floral nectary to investigate their role in pollinator attraction. The mating system was assessed with a bagging experiment and pollinator visits were recorded with action cameras. Additionally, we tested the staminal trichomes and floral nectary for terpenes and flavonoids and examined floral nectary micromorphology via scanning electron microscope and compound light microscope. Our results reveal that is self-incompatible and dependent on pollinators; the western population was pollinated by bees (Meliponini and ), while the eastern population was mainly pollinated by skipper butterflies (Hesperiidae). Both staminal trichomes and the floral nectary appear to contribute to pollinator attraction through the presence of terpenes and flavonoids (in both secretory structures) and nectariferous tissue and nectarostomata (in the nectary). Our results indicate that has reliable and effective pollinators and that insufficient pollination is likely not a primary cause of its rarity.
极为罕见,人们对其繁殖情况知之甚少。该物种花朵色彩鲜艳,似乎能够吸引传粉者,但种群规模通常较小(<30 个个体)。为了确定繁殖不佳是否导致其稀有,我们在两个种群中研究了其交配系统和潜在传粉者。我们还检查了雄蕊毛和花蜜腺,以研究它们在吸引传粉者方面的作用。通过套袋实验评估交配系统,并用动作相机记录传粉者的访问情况。此外,我们测试了雄蕊毛和花蜜腺中的萜类化合物和黄酮类化合物,并通过扫描电子显微镜和复式光学显微镜检查了花蜜腺的微观形态。我们的结果表明,该物种自交不亲和且依赖传粉者;西部种群由蜜蜂(Meliponini 和 )传粉,而东部种群主要由弄蝶(Hesperiidae)传粉。雄蕊毛和花蜜腺似乎都通过萜类化合物和黄酮类化合物(在两种分泌结构中)以及蜜腺组织和蜜腺孔(在花蜜腺中)的存在来吸引传粉者。我们的结果表明,该物种有可靠且有效的传粉者,授粉不足可能不是其稀有的主要原因。