Quantitative nectar spur length governs nonrandom mating in a bee-pollinated <i>Aquilegia</i> species.

ABSTRACT: Mating patterns in angiosperms are typically nonrandom, yet the mechanisms driving nonrandom mating remain unclear, especially regarding the effects of quantitative floral traits on plant mating success across male and female functions. In this study, we investigated how variation in spur length and flower number per plant influences mating patterns in Aquilegia rockii within a natural population. Using marker-based paternity analyses and manipulative experiments, we assessed the role of these traits in mating success across both sexual functions. We found significant variation in the mate composition between male and female function, with spur-length frequency positively associated with female outcrossing rate and mate number, but not with male outcrossing or mate number. Mo

SUBMITTER: Yang M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11962968 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature