NUMBER AND STRUCTURE OF ANTHERS IN FIG SYCONIA IN RELATION TO BEHAVIOUR OF THE POLLEN VECTORS

Structure and functioning of anthers have been studied in Ficus carica L., F. sycomorus L. and F. religiosa L. Polleniferous figs of F. carica produce numerous male flowers with plenty of pollen (multistaminate type). Mature anthers contain a normal fibrous layer and open spontaneously. On the other hand, figs of F. sycomorus produce a comparatively small number of male flowers, their anthers have a degenerated endothecium and do not dehisce normally. In pollination (pollen loading and unloading) the great differences occurring in the organization of the androecium of F. carica and F. sycomorus may be seen to be associated with different behaviour patterns of their specific pollen vectors, the agaonid wasps Blastophaga psenes and Ceratosolen arabicus , respectively. While the pollinators of F. carica become passively coated with pollen on their exit from the native fig (topocentric pollination), the pollen vectors of F. sycomorus help in opening of the anthers and load the pollen purposively, by direct lifting of the pollen from the anthers on to special pockets on the body of the insect (ethodynamic pollination). Thus, in the context of pollination, the complementary nature of the characteristics of the two participants of fig symbiosis is evident.