Allocation to floral structures in Thalictrum pubescens (Ranunculaceae), a cryptically dioecious species.

ABSTRACT: Females of Thalictrum pubescens produce stamens that contain sterile pollen, whereas males are both functionally and morphologically unisexual. This study examines the investment in stamen production by females of T. pubescens by comparing the female structures with those of their fully functional male counterparts. Stamens from females had the same biomass and contained the same amount of nitrogen and phosphorus as stamens from males. Anther size was the same in males and females, but filaments were longer in stamens from males. Females produced more pollen per anther than males, and pollen size was the same in both sexes. Within flowers, there was a positive correlation between the amount of pollen per anther and the length of anthers in males, but not in females. This would be expected

SUBMITTER: Davis SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4233862 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature