An examination of the function of male flowers in an andromonoecious shrub Capparis spinosa.

@article{Zhang2009AnEO,
  title={An examination of the function of male flowers in an andromonoecious shrub Capparis spinosa.},
  author={Tao Zhang and Dunyan Tan},
  journal={Journal of integrative plant biology},
  year={2009},
  volume={51 3},
  pages={
          316-24
        }
}
  • Tao Zhang, D. Tan
  • Published 1 March 2009
  • Biology, Medicine
  • Journal of integrative plant biology
The pollen donor and pollinator attractor hypotheses are explanations for the functions of the male flowers of andromonoecious plants. We tested these two hypotheses in the andromonoecious shrub Capparis spinosa L. (Capparaceae) and confirmed that pollen production and cumulative volume and sugar concentration of nectar do not differ between male and perfect flowers. However, male flowers produced larger anthers, larger pollen grains and smaller ovaries than perfect flowers. Observations on… 
View on PubMed
jipb.net
34 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
4
Background Citations
14
Results Citations
3

34 Citations

Citation Type

Citation Type

Male flowers are better fathers than hermaphroditic flowers in andromonoecious Passiflora incarnata.
TLDR
The production of male morph flowers in P. incarnata appears to be a flexible adaptive mechanism to enhance male fitness, which might be especially beneficial when plants face temporary resource shortages for nurturing additional fruits.
Sexual phenotype of Capparis herbacea (Capparaceae)
Floral morphology coupled with the morphometry of androecium revealed that Capparis herbacea Willd. has an andromonoecious sexual system, producing both male and perfect flowers on the same plant.…
Intersexual flower differences in an andromonoecious species: small pollen-rich staminate flowers under resource limitation.
TLDR
This work compared six floral morphology traits, pollen production, pollinator visits and pollen removal from anthers between staminate and perfect flowers in several natural Commelina communis populations and suggested that the morphological changes in staminated flowers enhance pollination success, even with limited resources.
Floral biology and pollination in Cucumis melo L., a tropical andromonoecious cucurbit
A Morphological and Histological Characterization of Bisexual and Male Flower Types in Pomegranate
TLDR
Morphological and histological analyses of bisexual and male flowers were conducted using light and scanning electron microscopy to characterize the different flower types observed in pomegranate plants and to better understand their developmental differences.
Andromonoecy in an Old World Papilionoid legume, Erophaca baetica.
TLDR
The potential effect of andromonoecy in enhancing outcrossing rate in this species is discussed, and Erophaca is the first example of an andromonecious Papilionoid in the Old World.
INTRAFLORAL DIFFERENTIATION OF STAMEN MORPHOLOGY AND FUNCTION OF CAPPARIS SPINOSA L
In Capparis spinosa L. (Capparidaceae), a woody perennial with both male and perfect flowers on the same plant, each flower has both short and long stamens. Flowers of C. spinosa were examined for 2…
Reproductive biology of the andromonoecious Cucumis melo subsp. agrestis (Cucurbitaceae).
TLDR
This andromonoecious species has the potential for a mixed mating system with high dependence on insect-mediated pollination and the selfing rate through geitonogamy should be important.
Plant-level fecundity and andromonoecy in three common (Melaleuca styphelioides, M. thymifolia, M. nodosa) and one rare (M. deanei) Melaleuca (Myrtaceae) species of the Sydney region
TLDR
Results suggest that seed production within smaller populations of M. deanei is poor because of a low frequency of flowering and a low proportion of flowering plants per population, rather than plant-level pollination, fruit- or seed-set barriers.
When to be a male? Role of resource-limitation and pollinators in determining floral sex in an andromonoecious spiderwort
TLDR
It is concluded that environmentally driven resource constraints play a bigger role in driving floral sex expression in Murdannia over direct pollinator-driven constraints.
...
1
2
3
4
...

References

SHOWING 1-10 OF 48 REFERENCES
Regulation of Pollen Production in Anthriscus sylvestris, an Andromonoecious Species
  • K. Spalik
  • Biology
    International Journal of Plant Sciences
  • 1994
TLDR
The data support the hypothesis that in andromonoecious species pollen output is regulated at the level of flower production rather than pollen per flower.
Pollen and Resource Limitation in Veratrum nigrum L. (Liliaceae), an Andromonoecious Herb
TLDR
The female reproductive success of V. nigrum was not limited by pollen grains but by available resources, which is consistent with Bateman's principle, and the female reproduction increase of male-flower-bud removal individuals might suggest a trade-off between male and female sexual functions.
Functional significance of the androecium in staminate and hermaphroditic flowers of Solanum carolinense (Solanaceae)
TLDR
Experimental results imply that significant roles of the male organs in hermaphroditic flowers are as sources of pollinator reward (pollen) in these nectarless flowers, at least as near-distance attractive elements, and as landing platforms.
Environmentally Influenced Changes in Sex Expression in an Andromonoecious Plant
TLDR
Sexual expression and maternal investment were investigated in the herbaceous perennial Solanum carolinense (Solanaceae) in terms of three stages at which maternal investment can be regulated: flower initiation, flower maturation, and fruit maturation.
Flower dimorphism and the maintenance of andromonoecy in Sagittaria guyanensis ssp. lappula (Alismataceae).
TLDR
The presence of functional stamens in perfect flowers could be selected to allow reproductive assurance in case of inadequate pollination in andromonoecious species, rather than as a mechanism for optimal resource allocation.
EVOLUTION OF A FLOWER DIMORPHISM: HOW EFFECTIVE IS POLLEN DISPERSAL BY "MALE" FLOWERS?
TLDR
Results fail to support the "male-function" hypothesis for the evolution of andromonoecy, as perfect flowers dispersed substantially more pollen than staminate flowers over an average flower lifetime.
Functions of staminate flowers in andromonoecious Pseudocymopterus montanus (Apiaceae, Apioideae)
TLDR
It is concluded that in P. montanus, staminate flowers function primarily as pollen donors and that larger umbels donate more dye to nearby recipient umbels than do smaller ones.
Reproductive ecology of Cneorum tricoccon L. (Cneoraceae) in the Balearic Islands
TLDR
Floral sex ratio varied greatly both through the flowering season and between years and was not consistent through time, suggesting that sex expression may be determined more by factors such as resource status of the plant than by genetic factors.
Adaptive significances of sexual system in andromonoecious Capparis spinosa (Capparaceae)
TLDR
The sexual system of andromonoecy may reflect an environment-heredity interaction in C.spinosa in the extreme desert environment, and increase outcrossing rate and female fitness of individuals, which insure reproductive success of C. spinosa.
Sexual allocation and andromonoecy: resource investment in male and hermaphrodite flowers of Solanum carolinense (Solanaceae)
TLDR
These results are consistent with the hypothesis that male flowers (which occur where fruit set is unlikely) increase male fitness through pollen donation, while saving resources that would otherwise be invested in hermaphrodite flowers that abscise.
...
1
2
3
4
5
...