An Examination of the Function of Male Flowers in an Andromonoecious Shrub <i>Capparis spinosa</i>

Zhang, Tao; Tan, Dunyan

doi:10.1111/j.1744-7909.2008.00800.x

Cited by 31 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 37 publications

(64 reference statements)

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“…Between male and perfect flowers there was no difference in the shape and size of mature pollen grains from anthers with white and green filaments. The relationship between anther size and male sexual phenotype was also found in another species of section Capparis, the Mediterranean C. spinosa, in which male flowers have larger anthers with larger pollen grains (Zhang & Tan, 2009). According to these authors, the male flowers of C. spinosa function as pollen donors, promoting cross pollination.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Sexual phenotype of Capparis herbacea (Capparaceae)

Shakarishvili

Osishvili²

2013

Turk J Bot

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IntroductionCapparis herbacea Willd. (C. spinosa auct. non L.) is a perennial pendulous shrub distributed in the Irano-Turanian floristic region, extending into the Euro-Siberian region, the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Caucasus (Inocencio et al., 2006). Capers from the section Capparis L. (which also includes C. herbacea) usually inhabit desert and semidesert areas (Fakhireh et al., 2012). In Georgia this species grows in dry open woodlands, xerophytic scrublands, semideserts, and secondary steppes. As a native plant it is of considerable importance for erosion control and revegetation of degraded habitats in Georgia, due to its drought tolerance and ability to withstand desertification in the fragile semiarid ecosystem.Capparis herbacea differs from the Mediterranean C. spinosa L. by straight stipules, prominent innervations of the abaxial leaf surface, strong zygomorphy of the flower, and star-like shape of the nectary. Like C. spinosa, C. herbacea is an economically important species; capers, pickled flower buds and young fruits, are often used as seasoning or garnish. The available data on the sexual system of the section Capparis indicate that at least one species from the section C. spinosa is an andromonoecious plant (Zhang & Tan, 2008).Andromonoecy is a particular sexual system in which both perfect (hermaphrodite, bisexual) flowers are produced with male (staminate, female sterile) flowers on the same individual. This rare phenomenon is described only in 1.7% of Angiosperms (Yampolsky & Yampolsky, 1922;Diggle, 1991;Miller & Diggle, 2003). Our preliminary observations indicate that C. herbacea produces both hermaphrodite and staminate flowers on the same individual.The aims of the present work were to determine morphological and morphometric differences between 2 flower morphs, study variations in the proportion of male and hermaphrodite flowers during the flowering season, and investigate whether andromonoecy occurs in Capparis herbacea. According to the classification of section Capparis L. revised by Inocencio et al. (2006), C. herbacea is regarded as C. sicula Veill. subsp. herbacea (Willd.) Inocencio, D. Rivera, Obón & Alcaraz. The number of stamens and the size and shape of the anther and nectary are regarded as important diagnostic characters. The species is known to be a nocturnal plant; however, factors affecting the time and duration of the blooming period have not yet been identified. Therefore, the second purpose of this study was to identify the characters mentioned in the studied Abstract: Floral morphology coupled with the morphometry of androecium revealed that Capparis herbacea Willd. has an andromonoecious sexual system, producing both male and perfect flowers on the same plant. Functionally male flowers develop more stamens with larger anthers than bisexual ones (63.6 ± 0.6 and 4.1 ± 0.01 mm; 58.1 ± 0.7 and 3.6 ± 0.02 mm, respectively). The ratio of male to perfect flowers ranges from 0.5 to 2.6 during the flowering season. The development of dense trichomes on the adaxial surfac...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Sexual phenotype of Capparis herbacea (Capparaceae)

Shakarishvili

Osishvili²

2013

Turk J Bot

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“…In fact, given the mixed breeding system of C. spinosa (Zhang & Tan, 2009), in which autogamic, allogamic (since andromonoecy was reported for C. spinosa as a breeding system in which both perfect hermaphroditic flowers and male flowers are produced) and even xenogamic pollinations are likely to occur; genetic variation is expected to be higher within populations. In fact, given the mixed breeding system of C. spinosa (Zhang & Tan, 2009), in which autogamic, allogamic (since andromonoecy was reported for C. spinosa as a breeding system in which both perfect hermaphroditic flowers and male flowers are produced) and even xenogamic pollinations are likely to occur; genetic variation is expected to be higher within populations.…”

Section: Genetic Variation and Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

“…It reproduces seeds and throughout vegetative pathways and is characterized by a mixed breeding system (Zhang & Tan, 2009), in which autogamic, allogamic and even xenogamic pollinations are likely to occur. It reproduces seeds and throughout vegetative pathways and is characterized by a mixed breeding system (Zhang & Tan, 2009), in which autogamic, allogamic and even xenogamic pollinations are likely to occur.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using genetic structure data and phylogenetic criteria in attributing prioritization scores for conservation of spontaneous Capparis spinosa L. populations from Tunisia

Chibani

Skouri-Gargouri

Salem

et al. 2017

Journal for Nature Conservation

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“…, 2004; Vallejo‐Marin & Rausher, 2007b; Narbona et al. , 2008; Zhang & Tan, 2009). Second, male flowers may produce pollen of higher quality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Male flowers are better fathers than hermaphroditic flowers in andromonoecious Passiflora incarnata

Dai

Galloway

2011

New Phytologist

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Summary• The diversity of plant breeding systems provides the opportunity to study a range of potential reproductive adaptations. Many mechanisms remain poorly understood, among them the evolution and maintenance of male flowers in andromonoecy. Here, we studied the role of morphologically male flowers ('male morph') in andromonoecious Passiflora incarnata.• We measured morphological differences between hermaphroditic and male morph flowers in P. incarnata and explored the fruiting and siring ability of both flower types.• Male morph flowers in P. incarnata were of similar size to hermaphroditic flowers, and there was little evidence of different resource allocation to the two flower types. Male morph flowers were less capable of producing fruit, even under ample pollen and resource conditions. By contrast, male morph flowers were more successful in siring seeds. On average, male morph flowers sired twice as many seeds as hermaphroditic flowers. This difference in male fitness was driven by higher pollen export from male morph flowers as a result of greater pollen production and less self-pollen deposition.• The production of male morph flowers in P. incarnata appears to be a flexible adaptive mechanism to enhance male fitness, which might be especially beneficial when plants face temporary resource shortages for nurturing additional fruits.

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An Examination of the Function of Male Flowers in an Andromonoecious Shrub Capparis spinosa

Cited by 31 publications

References 37 publications

Sexual phenotype of Capparis herbacea (Capparaceae)

Sexual phenotype of Capparis herbacea (Capparaceae)

Using genetic structure data and phylogenetic criteria in attributing prioritization scores for conservation of spontaneous Capparis spinosa L. populations from Tunisia

Male flowers are better fathers than hermaphroditic flowers in andromonoecious Passiflora incarnata

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