z-logo
Premium
Flowering phenology, display size, and fruit set in an understory dioecious shrub, Aucuba japonica (Cornaceae)
Author(s) -
Abe Tetsuto
Publication year - 2001
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 - 10.2307/2657110
Subject(s) - biology , phenology , pollination , pollen , inflorescence , pollinator , shrub , understory , botany , horticulture , canopy
I investigated the effects of display size and flowering phenology on fruit set in Aucuba japonica , an understory dioecious shrub pollinated by opportunistic insects. Natural variations in display size, flowering phenology, and fruit set were monitored in 1997. A hand‐pollination experiment was also conducted to check whether pollen limitation was a factor in fruit set in the field. Increases in floral display size did not affect fruit set; the proportion of flowers that set fruit was almost constant irrespective of the total number of flowers per inflorescence, the total number of inflorescences per plant, and the total number of flowers per plant. The hand‐pollination experiment showed that fruit set was not pollen limited despite the low mating probability that resulted from the combination of dioecism and the species' dependence on opportunistic pollinators. This was due, in part, to the fact that female flowers did not have a predetermined period of receptivity, but instead remained receptive until they received pollen. In contrast, flowering phenology did affect fruit set. Fruit set was most abundant when male and female flowering was most abundant. This suggests there was some degree of pollen limitation during the part of the flowering season when male flowers were scarce.

This content is not available in your region!

Continue researching here.

Having issues? You can contact us here