Different ontogenetic processes promote dicliny in Ficus L. (Moraceae)

Basso-Alves, João Paulo; Pereira, Rodrigo Augusto Santinelo; Peng, Yang-Qiong; Teixeira, Simone de Pádua

doi:10.1016/j.actao.2013.02.012

Cited by 18 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Entanglement by stylar trichomes is common in gynodioecious Ficus species, especially in the sections Sycomorus [e.g., F. auriculata (present study)], Sycocarpus [e.g., F. septica (present study), F. dammaropsis (Corner, 1978) and F. hispida (Basso-Alves et al, 2014)] and Sycidium [e.g., F. asperifolia (Verkerke, 1987)]. However, intrasection variation in the type of stigma entanglement can occur, as observed in F. racemosa comparatively to F. auriculata (Basso-Alves et al, 2014;present study) and in F. ulmifolia comparatively to F. asperifolia (present study) in which stylar trichomes are absent. Furthermore, stigmata are perfectly separated in "female" F. montana (unpublished observation).…”

Section: Ficus Ulmifolia (Gynodioecious Active)supporting

confidence: 47%

Morphological diversity and function of the stigma in Ficus species (Moraceae)

et al. 2018

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The stigma plays several roles such as pollen hydration and selection, and pollen tube nutrition. In the Ficus-fig wasp mutualism, stigmata have an additional, almost unknown, function by representing a physical interface for both plant and wasp reproduction. We used light and electron microscopy to compare the detailed morphology of the stigmata of nine Ficus species of different sections and with different pollination modes and sexual expressions. Figs were collected at the stage when the stigmata were receptive for pollination. Stigmata in actively pollinated monoecious species have well developed papillae concentrated on the adaxial surface exposed towards the fig cavity. Conversely, the passively pollinated monoecious species have the whole surface of the stigmata covered by somewhat smaller papillae. In both actively and passively pollinated monoecious species these features are consistent, irrespective of style length. In all actively pollinated gynodioecious species, the stigmata of pistillate flowers were tubular or infundibuliform whereas in almost all actively pollinated monoecious species (except F. racemosa) the stigmata were filiform, with one branch or two asymmetric branches. In gynodioecious species the short-styled flowers in "male" figs show a limited receptive surface with small papillae, while the stigmata of long-styled flowers in "female" figs are covered by papillae that extend down the sides of the style, increasing the stigmatic surface. In actively pollinated species, stigmata are cohesive, forming a common surface for pollen tube germination (= synstigma). The synstigma arrangement was quite variable: lax, cohesive or very cohesive, with entanglement by stigmatic papillae and stylar trichomes. Entanglement by stylar trichomes is common in gynodioecious species. The synstigma arrangement did not correlate with phylogeny or breeding system. This study is the first to report a very loose synstigma in actively pollinated monoecious Ficus species. Our analyses revealed that, in Ficus, the synstigma is functionally analogous to an extra-gynoecial compitum. Comparative studies will be required to test further hypotheses about the evolutionary determinants of such variation.

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Section: Ficus Ulmifolia (Gynodioecious Active)supporting

confidence: 47%

Morphological diversity and function of the stigma in Ficus species (Moraceae)

et al. 2018

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“…Prefloral colonizers were always observed in low abundance. They probably have their oviposition capacity constrained by flower development, as pistillate flowers are not completely developed at this phase (Basso-Alves et al, 2014). Therefore, they may use mechanisms of gall induction that differ from the one shown by receptive-phase colonizers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Insights into the structure of plant-insect communities: Specialism and generalism in a regional set of non-pollinating fig wasp communities

Farache¹,

Cruaud

Rasplus

et al. 2018

Acta Oecologica

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Insects show a multitude of symbiotic interactions that may vary in degree of specialization and structure. Gallinducing insects and their parasitoids are thought to be relatively specialized organisms, but despite their ecological importance, the organization and structure of the interactions they establish with their hosts has seldom been investigated in tropical communities. Non-pollinating fig wasps (NPFW) are particularly interesting organisms for the study of ecological networks because most species strictly develop their offspring within fig inflorescences, and show a multitude of life history strategies. They can be gall-makers, cleptoparasites or parasitoids of pollinating or of other non-pollinating fig wasps. Here we analysed a set of non-pollinating fig wasp communities associated with six species of Ficus section Americanae over a wide area. This allowed us to investigate patterns of specialization in a diverse community composed of monophagous and polyphagous species. We observed that most NPFW species were cleptoparasites and parasitoids, colonizing figs several days after oviposition by pollinators. Most species that occurred in more than one host were much more abundant in a single preferential host, suggesting specialization. The food web established between wasps and figs shows structural properties that are typical of specific antagonistic relationships, especially of endophagous insect networks. Two species that occurred in all available hosts were highly abundant in the network, suggesting that in some cases generalized species can be more competitive than strict specialists. The Neotropical and, to a lesser extent, Afrotropical NPFW communities seem to be more generalized than other NPFW communities. However, evidence of host sharing in the Old World is quite limited, since most studies have focused on particular taxonomic groups (genera) of wasps instead of sampling the whole NPFW community. Moreover, the lack of quantitative information in previous studies prevents us from detecting patterns of host preferences in polyphagous species.

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“…No resource for pollinator attraction is found (Berg, , ; Friss, ). A less well‐known but intriguing floral feature of some species in this group is the presence of a pistillode in the staminate flowers (Baillon, ; Bechtel, ; Condit, ; Galil et al., ; Granville, ; Beck and Lord, ; Verkerke, ; Todzia, , ; Maier et al., ; Martins and Pirani, ; Basso‐Alves et al., ; Leite et al., ). Although a pistillode is most often described as an aborted, nonfunctional gynoecium in the mature flower (Ronse De Craene, ; Diggle et al., ), it could play a role in the explosive release of pollen in the wind‐pollinated Morus alba (Moraceae; Rohwer, ; Taylor et al., ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Anatomy solves the puzzle of explosive pollen release in wind‐pollinated urticalean rosids

Pedersoli

Leme

Leite

et al. 2019

American J of Botany

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Premise of the Study This study details the unusual synorganization of the staminate flower in wind‐pollinated urticalean rosids to add the missing pieces that complete the puzzle of the explosive mechanism of pollen release in this group. Methods Flower buds and flowers were analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy. Key Results The pistillode, stamens, and sepals form a floral apparatus that explosively releases pollen to be carried by the wind. The anthers dehisce when the stamens are still inflexed on the floral bud and are enveloped by the sepals and supported by an inflated pistillode. The distension of the filaments presses the pistillode, which decreases the pressure exerted on the anthers by releasing the air accumulated internally through its apical orifice. The extended filaments and the dehiscent free anthers move rapidly outward from the center of the flower. This movement of the filaments is then blocked by the robust basally united sepals, which causes a rapid inversion of the anther position, thus hurling the pollen grains far from the flower. The pollen grains are released grouped by the mucilage produced in high quantity in the cells found in all floral organs. Conclusions The anatomical structure of the pistillode and the finding of mucilaginous cells are the main features that help in the understanding the explosive mechanism of pollen release in urticalean rosids. The pistillode can be considered an exaptation because it was evolved later to provide a new role in the plant, optimizing male fitness.

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Different ontogenetic processes promote dicliny in Ficus L. (Moraceae)

Cited by 18 publications

References 38 publications

Morphological diversity and function of the stigma in Ficus species (Moraceae)

Morphological diversity and function of the stigma in Ficus species (Moraceae)

Insights into the structure of plant-insect communities: Specialism and generalism in a regional set of non-pollinating fig wasp communities

Anatomy solves the puzzle of explosive pollen release in wind‐pollinated urticalean rosids

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