Plant Diversity ›› 2006, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (04): 371-377.

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Floral Variation in Tepals, Sterile and Fertile Stamens of Kingdonia uniflora (Ranunculaceae) with Reference to Pollinators and Pollination

HE Hai-Xia; ZHANG Xiao-Ling; REN Yi   

  1. College of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Resource and Natural Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Ministry of Education , Shaanxi Normal University
  • Received:2005-10-27 Online:2006-08-25 Published:2006-08-25
  • Contact: REN Yi

Abstract: To understand the influence of different floral organs of Kingdonia uniflora to the pollinators and pollination, we divided the flowers into four groups, A, with the sterile stamens removed, B, with the tepals removed, C, with the fertile stamens removed and D, without the remove of any organ. The results showed that the insects visiting frequency were 0.4 time h in group A, 0 time h in group B, 0. 9 time h in group C and 2. 2 time h in group D. The percentage of pollinated flowers was 29.09% in group A, 40. 38% in group B, 70.91% in group C and 91. 67% in group D. The percentage of pollinated carpels was 17.77% in group A, 20.94% in group B, 40.58% in group C and 75.27% in group D respectively. The relationships between the insect visiting frequency and the nectarial secretion of the sterile stamens were observed in the field. To compare with group D, the decrease of the rate of pollinated flower and the carpel was group A > group B>group C. To combine the observation of the relationships between the nectarial secretion of the sterile stamens and the insect visiting frequency, we considered that the sterile stamens with nectar as the reward of the visiting insects play the most important rule for the pollinators and pollination. However, the tepals that could afford the platform of staining and moving of the insects on the flowers are also important for the pollinators. The fertile stamens that could form the chromatic to attract some of the pollinators and supply the pollen grains as the food of some pollinators play less important rule .

Key words: Kingdonia uniflora

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