Floral biology of Pitcairnia nubigena (BROMELIACEAE) In an andean cloud forest: I. Morphology, phenophases and autocompatibility

Authors

Keywords:

Andes, Fenofases florales, Ornitofilia, Polinización, Venezuela

Abstract

Cross-pollination is a reproductive mechanism which increases the progeny’s genetic variability, even though self-pollination enables seed production when the former does not occur. In this paper, floral morphology and phenophases are described and ornitophily and self-compatibility evaluated in a Pitcairnia nubigena population in a cloud forest of the Venezuelan Andes. The perianth reached maximum and minimum lengths of 64.5±8.3 and 63.0±3.3 mm, respectively, with a lateral opening of 26.2±5.7 mm from the flower’s base and an anther-stigma distance of 2.4±2.0 mm. Flowers developed in four phenophases, from flower buds (1 and 2), preanthesis flowers (3), up to anthesis flowers (4). Anthesis duration was 1,5±0.5 days, while inflorescence maturation time was 87 days. Anther and stigma maturation were synchronous starting at phenophase 3. In all, 19.4% of the flowers were fertilized by autonomous self-pollination and 7.1% by assisted self-pollination. Ornithophilic traits of P. nubigena attracted several species of nectarivorous birds, potential pollinators as well as nectar robbers. P. nubigena is a hercogamic self-compatible species that uses both cross pollination mechanisms as well as autopollination as means of sexual reproduction.

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12/31/2013

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Research articles

How to Cite

Floral biology of Pitcairnia nubigena (BROMELIACEAE) In an andean cloud forest: I. Morphology, phenophases and autocompatibility. (2013). Ecotropicos, 26, 28-39. https://ecotropicos.svecologia.org/index.php/home/article/view/p215

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