Abstract
Hechtia schottii is a terrestrial, rosetofilous, dioecious, polycarpic succulent herb, that grows mainly in shrubby associations, and less frequently, in secondary low caducifolious forests, both on calcareous soils or limestone outcrops in Yucatan and Campeche States, Mexico. We studied phenology, floral and pollination biology, and breeding system at Calcehtok, Yucatan, during two flowering seasons. Plants bloom mainly during the dry season (November-April) and disperse seeds during the rainy season (May-October). Both floral morphs have diurnal anthesis; pollen is removed ca. 1 h after anthesis starts and both floral morphs are visited by several insect species, especially bees, but results suggest that the introduced honey bee, Apis mellifera, is the pollinator. Controlled crossings show that the species is functionally dioecious and requires to be serviced by pollinators based on fruit setting only in unassisted cross pollination crosses.
Highlights
Hechtia Klotzsch is a genus of more than 55 species; except for five of them, the group is restricted to Mexico (Burt-Utley and Utley 1993)
Floral and pollination biology, and breeding system at Calcehtok, Yucatan, during two flowering seasons
Plants bloom mainly during the dry season (November-April) and disperse seeds during the rainy season (May-October). Both floral morphs have diurnal anthesis; pollen is removed ca. 1 h after anthesis starts and both floral morphs are visited by several insect species, especially bees, but results suggest that the introduced honey bee, Apis mellifera, is the pollinator
Summary
Hechtia Klotzsch is a genus of more than 55 species; except for five of them, the group is restricted to Mexico (Burt-Utley and Utley 1993). It is characterized by its dioecious members (except by H. gayorum L.W. Lenz, a monoecious species; Lenz 1995), with restricted geographical ranges (i.e. each species known from one or a few populations) and associated with rocky soils, of calcareous or volcanic origin. Despite multiple publications attempting to explain the possible origin of dioecy and its correlates in different plant groups, no hypotheses have been put forward to explain the evolution of dioecy in the Bromeliaceae. Despite multiple publications attempting to explain the possible origin of dioecy and its correlates in different plant groups, no hypotheses have been put forward to explain the evolution of dioecy in the Bromeliaceae. Benzing et al (2000) suggests that insight into the evolution of dioecism in Catopsis should emerge as knowledge on bromeliad phylogeny increases
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