Pollen and pollination in the genus Eupatorium (Compositae)

Abstract

Pollen of 18 of the 19 species of Eupatorium (sensu stricto) was examined with the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The species studied included the three dog fennels with dissected leaves and 14 species with undissected leaves. All species had echinate tricolporate pollen. One dog fennel, E. capillifolium, was found to have reduced spines relative to the other species. This one had other anemophilous characters, such as a longer stigma and greater stigma exposure, lax inflorescence branches, and smaller floral heads, suggesting an anemophilous pollinating system. Eupatorium compositifolium, another dog fennel, showed characteristics indicative of anemophilous ancestry, such as a long, greatly exposed stigmatic surface and lax inflorescence, but it had showy flowers as well as autecological features conducive to entomophily. All other species had reduced stigma lengths and exposure, stiffly upright inflorescence, and showy heads, all features indicative of entomophily. The advantage of acropetal over basipetal development of the inflorescence for anemophily is discussed. The dog fennels have acropetal, indeterminate development and the undissected leaf species have basipetal, determinate development; the latter of which is the basic pattern of inflorescence development in the Compositae.