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POLLINATION AND SEED SET IN DIERVILLA LONICERA (CAPRIFOLIACEAE): TEMPORAL PATTERNS OF FLOWER AND OVULE DEPLOYMENT
Author(s) -
Thomson James D.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1985.tb08334.x
Subject(s) - ovule , biology , pollination , caprifoliaceae , pollinator , fruit set , botany , pollen
Ovule development in Diervilla lonicera (Caprifoliaceae) is limited by insufficient pollination early in the blooming period and during extensive rainy periods. Production of flowers is skewed in time; an initial burst of flowering is followed by a long period of sparse flower production. Ovule number per flower increases through the blooming period. I discuss the interactions of fruit and seed set, ovule number, and bumble bee pollinator visitation patterns. When certain flowers have a higher a priori probability of successful pollination, it may be advantageous for plants to put more ovules in those flowers. Selective ovule deployment may be a general adaptive phenomenon that has received little attention.