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Flowering behaviors of the inflorescences of an alien plant ( Plantago asiatica ), an alpine plant ( Plantago hakusanensis ), and their hybrids on Mt. Hakusan, Japan
Author(s) -
Sano Saki,
Nakayama Yuichiro,
Ohigashi Kentaro,
Nogami Tatsuya,
Yagyu Atsushi
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
weed biology and management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.351
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1445-6664
pISSN - 1444-6162
DOI - 10.1111/wbm.12098
Subject(s) - biology , inflorescence , outcrossing , pollination , pollen , botany , hybrid , self pollination , selfing , pollinator , hand pollination , tepal , stamen , horticulture , population , demography , sociology
In the subalpine zone on Mt. Hakusan, Japan, Plantago asiatica , an alien plant, and Plantago hakusanensis , a native alpine species, grow sympatrically along with their putative hybrids. Here, their flowering behavior, which affects the frequency of hybridization and the colonizing ability of P. asiatica and its hybrids, is described. The flowering behavior of each species and of two F 1 hybrids from different seed parents was determined based on the position of the flower in the inflorescence by using a generalized linear mixed model. The percentage fruit set of individually bagged inflorescences was calculated to corroborate the assumptions of the opportunities for self‐pollination. All the flowers were protogynous; however, many P. asiatica anthers dehisced before browning of the stigma in the flower and the sex presentations in the inflorescence were asynchronous. The percentage of fruit set was high. Consequently, P. asiatica has the opportunity for self‐pollination within the flower and in the inflorescence. In contrast, the P. hakusanensis anthers dehisced after browning of the stigma in the flower; their sex presentation was synchronous in the inflorescence, showing negligible opportunities for self‐pollination, and the fruit set was low. Accordingly, in the field, P. hakusanensis might require pollination among the inflorescences for seed production and be actively outcrossed, while P. asiatica is able to outcross in the early flowering phase. Therefore, P. asiatica and P. hakusanensis have opportunities for hybridization. The F 1 hybrids exhibited intermediate flowering behavior and produced fruits, demonstrating the potential to reproduce by selfing.