Sterile marginal flowers increase visitation and fruit set in the hobblebush (Viburnum lantanoides, Adoxaceae) at multiple spatial scales.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Enlarged sterile flowers on the periphery of inflorescences increase the attractiveness of floral displays, and previous studies have generally demonstrated that these have positive effects on insect visitation and/or reproductive success. However, experiments have not specifically been designed to examine the benefits of sterile flowers under conditions that reflect the early stages in their evolution, i.e. when plants that produce sterile flowers are at low frequency.

Methods

Over three years, three experiments were performed in natural populations of Viburnum lantanoides, which produces sterile marginal flowers (SMFs). The first experiment established that fruit production in V. lantanoides increases with the receipt of outcross pollen. The second test

SUBMITTER: Park B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6344212 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature