Breeding system and bird pollination of Camellia pubipetala, a narrowly endemic plant from karst regions of south China
Breeding system and bird pollination of Camellia pubipetala, a narrowly endemic plant from karst regions of south China
复制标题
我国南方喀斯特地区特有植物毛茶的繁育体系及鸟类授粉
DOI：
10.1111/1442-1984.12247
复制
发表时间：
2019
影响因子：
1.4
通讯作者：
Wei Xiao
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Chai Sheng Feng;Chen Zong You;Tang Jian Min;Wang Man Lian;Zou Rong;Wei Xiao
Camellia pubipetalais an endemic and endangered species with small and isolated populations occurring only in karst regions in Guangxi of south China. To understand the reproductive biology ofC. pubipetalaand its possible influences upon its endangered status, its breeding system and pollination ecology were studied in the Longhushan (LHS) and Longzhao (LZ) populations of this species. The flowering duration of theC.pubipetalapopulations spanned from late January to early April and anthesis of a single flower usually lasted 5–7 days. This species is homogamous, and the pollen and stigma are viable throughout anthesis. Each bagged flower could secrete 141.5 μL of nectar at a sugar concentration of 25.0% during anthesis. The observed high pollen/ovule ratio, and the results of hand‐pollination experiments indicated that this species obligately outcrosses. Open pollination resulted in a significantly decreased fruit set (6.7%) and seed set (38.9%) compared to supplementary pollination treatment (23.3% and 64.7%, respectively), which is indicative of a pollen limitation in the process of pollination. The primary pollinator ofC. pubipetalais the sunbirdAethopyga christinaeand its visiting frequency is quite low, whereas the honeybeeApis ceranais only an occasional pollinator in wild populations. Low reproductive rates inC. pubipetalawere found to be a consequence of few species of pollinators and their low visiting frequency. Pollen limitation may be a crucial factor that contributes to the endangered nature of this species. Artificial pollination and the release of pollinators are effective ways to increase the fruit and seed yield of this species.
