Am. J. Bot. Large Type Edition
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (19)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Ishii, H. S.
Right arrow Articles by Sakai, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Ishii, H. S.
Right arrow Articles by Sakai, S.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Ishii, H. S.
Right arrow Articles by Sakai, S.
(American Journal of Botany. 2002;89:441-446.)
© 2002 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Reproductive Biology

Temporal variation in floral display size and individual floral sex allocation in racemes of Narthecium asiaticum (Liliaceae)1

Hiroshi S. Ishii2 and Satoki Sakai

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Aoba, Sendai 980-8578, Japan

We analyzed the effects of temporal variation in floral display size (number of flowers open at one time on a plant) on the rate of pollen removed and receipt of individual flowers for the sequential blooming plant Narthecium asiaticum (Liliaceae). Because of the acropetal blooming of this species, the display sizes when upper flowers opened was much greater than the display sizes when lower flowers opened. Our experiments revealed that large displays lead to a high rate of pollen removal from individual flowers, though they do not lead to a high rate of ovule fertilization. Consequently, the rate of pollen grains removed per flower by pollinators was greater in upper flowers than in lower flowers. The pattern of sex allocation in individual flowers within a raceme was consistent with such variation. Namely, both maleness [stamen mass/(stamen mass + pistil mass)] and pollen : ovule ratio were larger in upper flowers. We suggest that the temporal variation in display size, in addition to such factors as dichogamy and pollinator directionality, also produces variation in the probability of successful pollen transfer from individual flowers that may cause the variation in the sex allocation of individual flowers.

Key Words: display size • individual flowers • Liliaceae • mating environment • Narthecium asiaticum • sex allocation • temporal variation




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Am. J. Bot.Home page
T. Itagaki and S. Sakai
Relationship between floral longevity and sex allocation among flowers within inflorescences in Aquilegia buergeriana var. oxysepala (Ranunculaceae)
Am. J. Botany, September 1, 2006; 93(9): 1320 - 1327.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ANN BOT (LOND)Home page
E. NARBONA, P. L. ORTIZ, and M. ARISTA
Dichogamy and Sexual Dimorphism in Floral Traits in the Andromonoecious Euphorbia boetica
Ann. Bot., April 1, 2005; 95(5): 779 - 787.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 ANN BOT (LOND)Home page
J. GUITIAN, M. MEDRANO, and J. E. OTI
Variation in Floral Sex Allocation in Polygonatum odoratum (Liliaceae)
Ann. Bot., September 1, 2004; 94(3): 433 - 440.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2002 by the Botanical Society of America, Inc.