Pollination ecology and seed production of some species of the genus Pedicularis L. in the highlands of Altai

Abstract

The paper presents data on the pollination ecology and seed production of three Pedicularis L. species in the high mountains of Altai. It was determined that the investigated species are highly specialised entomophiles. Specialisation to entomophily is expressed in a number of adaptations: the presence of nectar in flowers of Pedicularis, pollen and secondary attractants (visual and tactile) that attract insects, as well as specific morphological structures which facilitate the process of pollen hitting a certain area of the body of the insect. Hercogamy and protogyny and gradual explication of the flowers in the inflorescence and their long lifespan in wide ranges of temperature and humidity are also adaptations to cross-pollination. The investigated species have high fertility and viability of the pollen grains. Seed production ranges from 57.1 to 261.3 seeds per stem. The seeds have organic rest. Promoting agents of seeds germination of the investigated species are cold stratification in conjunction with the gibberellic acid treatment. The biology of louseworts is peculiar because they combine autotrophic feeding with parasitism on other higher plants. The lack of strict species specificity in the choice of host plants was discovered. The complex of host plants includes 27 species.