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Active self‐pollination in blackberries (Rubus subgen. Rubus, Rosaceae)
Author(s) -
Nybom Hilde
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
nordic journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.333
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1756-1051
pISSN - 0107-055X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1756-1051.1985.tb01689.x
Subject(s) - biology , pollination , pollinator , rubus , stamen , botany , inflorescence , rosaceae , apomixis , gynoecium , pollen , ploidy , biochemistry , gene
Most blackberry species are apomictic but pseudogamous, i.e. embryo development is dependent on prior pollination. Two different types of stamen arrangement were noted in senescing flowers of 18 Swedish species and 2 common cultivars. The stamens of ‘cross‐pollinating’ species seldom touch the stigmas while those of ‘self‐pollinating’ species instead arch over the pistils and dry up in this position. All species set seed well after artificial self‐pollination and are thus self‐compatible. Isolation experiments were carried out during 3 years. When inflorescences were bagged, seed set was drastically lowered in ‘cross‐pollinators’ but remained almost unaltered in ‘self‐pollinators’. The different responses to isolation are probably due to the inherent stamen behaviour.