Abstract
Cleistogamy involves structural, developmental, and functional differences between the open (chasmogamous) and closed (cleistogamous) floral forms produced by a species. Functional differences relate to the breeding system: progeny is obtained partly by obligate selfing, cleistogamous flowers and, at least potentially, by outcrossing, chasmogamous flowers. This study addresses theoretical predictions about the breeding system in Centaurea melitensis L. Comparative analysis of cleistogamous and chasmogamous flower heads produced by this species was based on studies of the morphological features of floral capitula, fruit production, pollen/ovule ratio, pollinators, stigma receptivity, and pollen-tube growth in the absence of pollinators. As expected, cleistogamous heads displayed characteristics typical of an obligate selfing flower. However, two apparently contradictory trends were discerned in chasmogamous heads: (i) a very high selfing rate and own-pollen germination at a very early stage in floral ontog...
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