The Bletia catenulata ornamental orchid is self-compatible but pollinator-dependent for reproduction

Vespasiano Borges De Paiva Neto,Monica Cristina Rezende Zuffo Borges,Daly Roxana Castro Padilha,Fábio De Barros,Ana Paula Mezoni Correa

doi:10.1590/1983-40632015v4538410

Vespasiano Borges De Paiva Neto, Monica Cristina Rezende Zuffo Borges + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-40632015v4538410

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Bletia catenulata is a native Brazilian orchid whose populations have suffered from predatory collection. Aiming at elucidating aspects of its reproductive biology and the relation with seed germination, pollination tests were carried out in flowers of plants cultivated in a greenhouse. Manual cross and self-pollination resulted in high percentage of fructification (76.7-86.7 %), being only 26.7 % for natural pollination, in which the absence of pollinators, due to flower isolation, resulted in absence of fruits. In vitro seed germination for all fruits from the different pollination processes was low, being 8.6 % the highest percentage for protocorms. Thus, B. catenulata is selfcompatible, resulting in viable seeds, but pollinator-dependent for sexual reproduction.

Highlights

Bletia Ruiz & Pav. is a neotropical orchid genus consisting of about 40 species (Brown 2005)
Some authors reported that B. catenulata was found in different Brazilian States, such as Tocantins and Maranhão (Silva et al 1995), Minas Gerais (Araújo et al 2002), Distrito Federal (Batista et al 2005) and São Paulo (Ferreira et al 2010), and in other countries, such as Bolivia (Vásquez et al 2003) and Paraguay (Schinini 2010)
The distribution of Bletia specimens is determined by factors such as the degree of disturbance of their environment, adaptability of the species and diversity of morphotypes of the available mycorrhizal fungus, which is associated with their dispersibility (Beltrán-Nambo et al 2012), among others

Summary

Introduction

Bletia Ruiz & Pav. is a neotropical orchid genus consisting of about 40 species (Brown 2005). In Brazil, only two species have been registered (Barros et al 2015). Bletia catenulata Ruiz & Pav. is a common species in the Brazilian Savannah, Amazonia and Atlantic Forest, being found in the seashore of the Rio de Janeiro State, at the Massambaba sandbank (Cepemar 2004). We have recently identified this species in the Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. The distribution of Bletia specimens is determined by factors such as the degree of disturbance of their environment, adaptability of the species and diversity of morphotypes of the available mycorrhizal fungus, which is associated with their dispersibility (Beltrán-Nambo et al 2012), among others

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