Flower, Fruit and Seed Abortion in Tropical Forest Trees: Implications for the Evolution of Paternal and Maternal Reproductive Patterns

Bawa, K. S.; Webb, C. J.

doi:10.2307/2443371

Cited by 238 publications

(270 citation statements)

References 61 publications

(148 reference statements)

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“…There was a trend to greater seed production at the distal end of the pod. This was earlier reported in legumes by Bawa & Webb (1984). Linear non random seed set patterns with hardly any seed formation at the first basal ovule position were also found in pods of bee pollinated Lupinus nanus and Medicago sativa (Horowitz et al, 1976).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

“…Pod production under natural conditions is relatively high, especially when compared with studies on other legumes in which only 10% and sometimes even less than 1% of the flowers produce a pod (Stephenson, 1981;Bawa & Webb, 1984). Flower and pod abortion is common in shrubs and trees with hermaphrodite flowers and need not be attributed to the lack of compatible pollen or a limitation of resources.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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The reproductive biology of three perennial Sesbania species (Leguminosae)

Heering¹

1993

Euphytica

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The reproductive biology of Sesbania sesban, S. goetzei and S. keniensis (Leguminosae; Papilionoideae) was studied. Fifty percent flowering was observed at 102 to 153 days after germination for S. sesban accessions; 96 to 146 days for S. goetzei and 131 to 176 days for S. keniensis accessions. Flowers opened in the afternoon and remained fresh for 2-3 days. Bee species including Xylocopa sp., Apis mellifera, Megachile bituberculata and Chalicodoma sp. visited the flowers. Hand pollination experiments showed that all three species were self and cross compatible. The percentage of fully developed seeds was greater in pods formed after cross pollination compared to self pollination. No evidence was found for stigmatic or stylar self incompatibility. Outcrossing is probably the common method of reproduction under natural conditions, although in isolated trees substantial seed set by selfing might occur. Pod production under natural conditions was 34% for S. sesban; 49% for S. goetzei and 39% for S. keniensis. Considerable variation was found in pod production under open pollination between accessions of the same species. Selective abortion was observed within pods, with more mature seeds formed at the distal end of the pod.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

The reproductive biology of three perennial Sesbania species (Leguminosae)

Heering¹

1993

Euphytica

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“…The abortion of young fruits is common due to self-incompatibility when self-pollination occurs (Bawa & Webb 1984). This could be the case in monoiceous species such as B. rubesecens when flower production is high; under such conditions pollinators are easily satiated in a single tree, which increases the chances of self-pollination.…”

Section: Availability Of Seed Sources Fecundity and Phenological Varmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intra annual seed production and availability of two morphotypes of Brosimum rubescens taubert in forests of the Colombian Amazon

2014

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We assessed the reproductive phenology, production, and availability of seeds for two morphotypes of Brosimum rubescens Taub. (Moraceae), locally known as black palosangre (BP) and white palosangre (WP) during an annual cycle in a 20-ha mega plot located in a primary forest at the El Zafire Biological Station, in the Colombian Amazon. We found that 87% and 41% of potentially reproductive individuals of BP and WP respectively, was fertile and the production of reproductive structures was variable within and between morphotypes. The phenological pattern was seasonal in both morphotypes, characterized by flowering at the end of the dry season and fruiting at the start of the rainy season. BP produced and aborted large amounts of infructescences (approximately 21743), possibly as a response to satiate predators. Relative predation in terms of pre-dispersion of seeds was similar in both morphotypes, with a greater damage generated by a Scolytidae Curculionidae (Coleoptera) and to a lesser degree by frugivorous vertebrates. The number of mature fruits, total seeds, and removed seeds was similar for both morphotypes. Differences in the amount of reproductive structures and in the timing of phenophases between morphotypes decreased the competition and contributed to their coexistence. It seems that in undisturbed forests seed limitation could be more conditioning for WP, while other limitations after fruit and seed production could occur in BP.

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“…Sometimes ovules fail to produce mature seeds because pollination/fertilization has not occurred or as a result of external factors such as seed predation, but often fertilized ovules abort prior to maturation (Lee and Bazzaz 1986;Lee 1988;Nakamura 1986). Nakamura (1988) noted that, for many species, seed abortion is the greatest cause of mortality in the sporophytes' life cycle, and several authors using various lines of reasoning have speculated that the overproduction of ovules followed by non-random seed abortion on the basis of progeny vigor could increase the average vigor of the seed crop (Bawa and Webb 1984;Charnov 1979;Stearns 1987;Westoby and Rice 1982).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a previous study, we (Rocha and Stephenson 1990) have shown that seed abortion in Phaseolus coccineus (Leguminosae), like that in many other species with linearly arranged ovules, is non-random with respect to the position of the ovule within the ovary (Halsten 1917;Bawa and Webb 1984;Harper and Wallace 1987;Horovitz et al 1976;Nakamura 1986). The three ovules at the stylar end of the fruit have a higher probability of maturation than the three ovules at the basal (peduncular) end of the fruit.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Order of fertilization within the ovary in Phaseolus coccineus L. (Leguminosae)

Rocha

Stephenson

1991

Sexual Plant Reprod

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Phaseolus coccineus typically has six linearly arranged ovules per ovary. The three ovules near the stylar end of the fruit (positions one, two, and three) are more likely to produce mature seeds, to produce heavier seeds, and to produce more vigorous progeny than the ovules in positions near the peduncular/basal end of the fruit (ovule positions four, five, and six). We conducted a series of field experiments designed to supplement our understanding of the mechanisms determining these position effects. We found that approximately 98% of the ovules in 752 fruits were fertilized -about 0.6% of the stylar ovules were not fertilized, whereas 3.2% of the basal ovules were unfertilized. Moreover, we found that only about 49% of the ovules in these 752 fruits produced mature seeds. Over 60% of the stylar ovules produced mature seeds, whereas only 37% of the basal ovules produced mature seeds. Consequently, the proportion of fertilized ovules cannot explain the differences in seed maturation among the ovule positions. We found that after 6.5 h most of the fertilized ovules were located in the stylar ovule positions, and that there were no fertilized ovules in ovule positions five and six, indicating that the stylar ovules are fertilized first. When only the fastest growing pollen tubes were permitted to enter the ovary (due to exision of the style), only the ovules at the stylar end were fertilized, indicating that the ovule positions that are fertilized first are indeed fertilized by the fastest growing pollen tubes.

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Flower, Fruit and Seed Abortion in Tropical Forest Trees: Implications for the Evolution of Paternal and Maternal Reproductive Patterns

Cited by 238 publications

References 61 publications

The reproductive biology of three perennial Sesbania species (Leguminosae)

The reproductive biology of three perennial Sesbania species (Leguminosae)

Intra annual seed production and availability of two morphotypes of Brosimum rubescens taubert in forests of the Colombian Amazon

Order of fertilization within the ovary in Phaseolus coccineus L. (Leguminosae)

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