Abstract
In many flowering plants, floral scents are a significant trait for visitors, playing an important role in attracting pollinators and/or detracting herbivores. The evolution of flowering plants from hermaphroditism to dioecy is often accompanied by sexual dimorphism in floral scent. In this study, floral scents emitted by different sexual morphs of the subdioecious shrub Eurya japonica Thunb. were collected using a dynamic headspace method, and sexual and temporal variations were evaluated by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Two volatiles, α‐pinene and linalool, were identified as the major components of floral scents in females, hermaphrodites, and males. The males emit higher amounts of floral scents, particularly α‐pinene, compared to females or hermaphrodites. Floral scents emitted by males generally decrease as flowers enter senescence, whereas those from females or hermaphrodites do not significantly differ. Intraspecific variations in floral scents of subdioecious species provided by this study would contribute to better understanding of sexual dimorphism in floral scent.
Highlights
As one of significant traits for visitors, floral scents in many flowering plants play an important role attracting pollinators and/or detracting herbivores (Custódio, Serra, Nogueira, Gonçalves, & Romano, 2006; Dötterl, Glück, Jürgens, Woodring, & Aas, 2014; Miyazawa et al, 2016; Tsuji & Sota, 2013)
Previous studies have shown that floral scents can differ qualitatively and quantitatively among various sexual flowers (Dötterl & Jürgens, 2005; Miyazawa et al, 2016) and flower parts (Dötterl & Jürgens, 2005) or same flowers at different flowering stages (Custódio et al, 2006; Kumano & Ymaoka, 2006; Schade et al, 2001)
The majority of previous investigations have focused on dioecious species and compared the differences in floral scents between females and males (Dötterl et al, 2014; Dufa, Hossaert-McKey, & Anstett, 2004; Milet-Pinheiro et al, 2015; Tollsten & Knudsen, 1992; Tsuji & Sota, 2010)
Summary
As one of significant traits for visitors, floral scents in many flowering plants play an important role attracting pollinators and/or detracting herbivores (Custódio, Serra, Nogueira, Gonçalves, & Romano, 2006; Dötterl, Glück, Jürgens, Woodring, & Aas, 2014; Miyazawa et al, 2016; Tsuji & Sota, 2013). The majority of previous investigations have focused on dioecious species and compared the differences in floral scents between females and males (Dötterl et al, 2014; Dufa, Hossaert-McKey, & Anstett, 2004; Milet-Pinheiro et al, 2015; Tollsten & Knudsen, 1992; Tsuji & Sota, 2010). It is of much interest to investigate whether the profile and the temporal pattern of floral scents of hermaphrodites are similar to that in males or females in subdioecious species. This will improve our understanding of the patterns of sexual dimorphism in floral scent. To better understand the patterns of sexual dimorphism in floral scent, this study aimed to i) chemically characterize its floral scents, and to assess ii) qualitative and iii) temporal variations in floral scents in female, hermaphrodite, and male flowers
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