Breeding System and Floral Morphometry of Distylous Psychotria L. Species in the Atlantic Rain Forest, SE Brazil

Abstract

General patterns of floral morphology and incompatibility mechanisms have been described for many distylous plants. The absence of these patterns in typically distylous groups, as observed especially in tropical environments, is interpreted as atypical distyly, or as a new reproductive strategy derived from it. Data are presented here on the morphological and compatibility relations between floral morphs of four Psychotria dimorphic species in the Atlantic rain forest in SE Brazil: Psychotria jasminoides, P. birotula, P. mapourioides, and P. pubigera. When significant differences were found, floral parts were larger in thrum flowers. Results of controlled crosses showed that most incompatible pollen tubes were arrested in the stigma, and only in a low proportion in the upper parts of the style. We conclude that, at the study site, the majority and most important morphological and mating features of typical distyly seem to be conserved in P. jasminoides and P. mapourioides, which presented reciprocal herkogamy, self and intramorph incompatibility, and a balanced morph ratio in the population. Typical distyly in P. birotula is supported by floral morphology, pollen tube data and morph ratio and, in P. pubigera, only by floral morphology and pollen tube data.

Key words

Atlantic forest - distyly - mating system - pollination - Psychotria - Rubiaceae - self-incompatibility.

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Editor: J. Knops