Early blooming's challenges: extended flowering season, diverse pollinator assemblage and the reproductive success of Gynodioecious Daphne laureola.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

The scarcity and unpredictability of active pollinators during late winter in temperate areas tends to favour extended flowering seasons and increased floral longevity in early blooming species, which are usually pollinated by diverse sets of insects. Daphne laureola is a gynodioecious woody perennial that flowers from January to April in southern Spain, a period characterized by cold temperatures, frequent rains and irregular snowfalls.

Methods

Pollinators were excluded at four different times during the flowering season in order to determine the effect of decreased exposure to pollinators on fruit set in female and hermaphrodite individuals. The role of nocturnal and diurnal pollination on reproductive success in each gender was simultaneously evaluated

SUBMITTER: Alonso C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4242258 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature