Pollination Biology, Seed Dispersal, and Recruitment in Rudbeckia auriculata (Perdue) Kral, a Rare Southeastern Endemic

Diamond, Alvin R.; Folkerts, Debbie R.; Boyd, Robert S.

doi:10.2179/05-20.1

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 46 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Yermo xanthocephalus can self-pollinate; however, the number of viable seeds produced through this process was lower than reported by Scott and Scott (2009) in 1995 when 23.8% of seeds were viable and 10.5% to 13% germinated (Scott & Scott 2009). Additionally, the seed viability is much lower than reported for other rare species of Asteraceae (Colling et al 2004;Diamond et al 2006;Masini et al 2016). The germination rates of the rare aster, Scorzonera humilis (Viper's grass), which grows in moist meadows, were up to 97% from four populations (Colling et al 2004) while another rare aster, Rudbeckia auriculata (Eared coneflower), which occurs in wet meadows and bogs, produced ≤31.4% viable seeds in five populations (Diamond et al 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…Additionally, the seed viability is much lower than reported for other rare species of Asteraceae (Colling et al 2004;Diamond et al 2006;Masini et al 2016). The germination rates of the rare aster, Scorzonera humilis (Viper's grass), which grows in moist meadows, were up to 97% from four populations (Colling et al 2004) while another rare aster, Rudbeckia auriculata (Eared coneflower), which occurs in wet meadows and bogs, produced ≤31.4% viable seeds in five populations (Diamond et al 2006). Two species that live in the dry Patagonian steppe, Gutierrezia solbrigii (Solbrig's snakeweed) and Senecio subulatus (Slender ragwort), produced 82% and 88% viable seeds, respectively (Masini et al 2016).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Low seed viability of a rare aster

Handley,

Tronstad

2024

J Poll Ecol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The reproductive ecology of rare plants is often unknown, yet the persistence of most plant populations depends on successful interactions with pollinators and favourable environmental conditions. Sexual reproduction maintains genetic diversity within plant populations using pollinators to transport pollen grains among plants of the same species and producing seeds. We investigated the reproduction of Yermo xanthocephalus Dorn (Desert yellowhead), a perennial member of Asteraceae endemic to central Wyoming, USA, which grows in only two locations within 8 km of each other. Our objectives were to assess the pollination and seed-set of Y. xanthocephalus. We conducted seed-set experiments in both populations to measure self-pollination and estimate if pollinating insects limited seed production. We used vane traps and pan traps to capture pollinators, and we examined pollen carried on bees. Yermo xanthocephalus can self-pollinate, but seed-set was extremely low. The number of viable seeds produced in flowerheads pollinated by insects did not differ from those produced by capitula hand-pollinated with excess pollen, indicating that pollinators did not limit seed production that year. Pollen from Y. xanthocephalus was carried by nine bee genera, suggesting that no one specific insect pollinates this plant. Only 12% of ovules produced viable seeds in the main population and 0% were viable in the other population, suggesting that something beyond pollinators limited seed-set. We recommend continued research to address what is limiting seed production to advance the knowledge and management of this declining plant species.

show abstract