Abstract
Aim – Secondary pollen presentation in flowers has been described only in a few species across about 25 plant families. The first report of secondary pollen presentation in the Cucurbitaceae family is given here. Key result – Sechium talamancensis, endemic to high elevations in Costa Rica, presents nearly 39% of its pollen secondarily on the distal ends of its petals. The remaining pollen is presented on the anthers, the primary pollen presenters. Significance – Closely related and commercially important congeners of S. talamancensis do not show secondary pollen presentation. Potential selective advantages of the phenomenon that differentiates S. talamancensis from its lower elevation congeners are discussed.
Highlights
Secondary pollen presentation, the display of pollen on floral parts other than the anthers, is a rare phenomenon reported from only about 25 distantly-related flowering plant families (Yeo 1993, Howell et al 1993)
Howell et al (1993) identified nine types of secondary pollen presentation based on the organ where pollen was presented, whether the pollen was exposed or not, and how the pollen was received by the secondary pollen presenter
A considerable proportion of the total pollen produced by the flower (38.52 ± 3.91 %) is presented on the secondary pollen presenter, indicative of its selective advantage
Summary
The display of pollen on floral parts other than the anthers, is a rare phenomenon reported from only about 25 distantly-related flowering plant families (Yeo 1993, Howell et al 1993). Presentation of pollen on a surface other than the primary pollen presenter may protect pollen from desiccation or exploitation, aid cross- or self-pollination, and increase the efficiency of pollen delivery (Yeo 1993, Howell et al 1993). The increased efficiency of pollination due to secondary pollen presentation may select for lower investment in ovules per locule (Ladd 1994). There is high variation in the specific mechanism of application of secondary pollen presentation except that most secondary pollen presenters receive pollen from anthers dehiscing introrsely during the development and anthesis of a flower (Howell et al 1993)
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