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The comparative reproductive biology of a tetraploid species, H edychium villosum , and its diploid progenitor H . tenuiflorum ( Z ingiberaceae)
Author(s) -
Gao J. Y.,
Liu Q.,
Li Q. J.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
plant biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.871
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1438-8677
pISSN - 1435-8603
DOI - 10.1111/plb.12080
Subject(s) - biology , ploidy , progenitor , botany , progenitor cell , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , stem cell , gene
Abstract The evolutionary advantages of polyploidy may result from a number of changes in floral traits and breeding system, which may enable polyploids to exploit new habitats and become widespread. In this study, we comparatively investigated the floral biology of the tetraploid species H edychium villosum and its diploid progenitor H . tenuiflorum , to assess reproductive divergence between the two species. The results showed that flowers of the tetraploid species last longer and produce more nectar than did diploid species. The flowering times of the two species did not overlap at all. Observations of floral visitors in natural populations demonstrated that butterflies and hawkmoths were effective pollinators of both species, but there was a significant difference in butterfly and hawkmoth assemblages between the two species. The hand‐pollination experiments and pollen tube growth experiments suggested that diploid H . tenuiflorum was self‐incompatible, while tetraploid H . villosum was completely self‐compatible. H . villosum has a much wider distribution range and occupies more diverse habitats than H . tenuiflorum . Polyploidisation may enable tetraploid H . villosum to exploit new habitats previously unavailable to diploid H . tenuiflorum .