POLLINATION AND SEED PRODUCTION IN IPOMOPSIS AGGREGATA: DIFFERENCES AMONG AND WITHIN FLOWER COLOR MORPHS

Abstract

The pollination of red, pink, and white color morphs of Ipomopsis aggregata was evaluated to assess whether ethological isolation based on pollinator color discrimination may occur. We observed animal visitors, assessed pollen delivery, seed set per fruit, percentage of flowers setting fruit, nectar production, and timing of flower opening for different color morphs in the Front Range of Colorado. Based on traditional zoophilous flower classifications, we expected hummingbirds to pollinate red‐flowered I. aggregata subsp. collina and hawkmoths to pollinate white‐flowered I. aggregata subsp. Candida. However, ethological isolation does not appear to occur among color morphs of I. aggregata in the Front Range. Hummingbirds visited red‐flowered plants in excess overall, and, to a lesser extent, so did hawkmoths. Both hummingbirds and hawkmoths visited all color morphs and probably transferred pollen among them. Pollen delivery data and a day‐night bagging experiment also suggest that pollinators do not necessarily behave as predicted by flower classifications. In addition, there is little evidence for major differences between red, white, and pink flowers in any aspects of reproductive biology. Indeed, most variation occurs within a given color morph.