Temporal dynamics of sexual dimorphism in a dioecious species.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Sexual dimorphism for floral traits is common in dioecious plant species. Beyond its significance for understanding how selection acts on plant traits through male vs. female reproductive function, sexual dimorphism has also been proposed as a possible risky characteristic for insect-pollinated plants, as it could drive pollinators to forage mostly on male plants. However, even though most flowering plant species spread their flowering across several weeks or months, the temporal variation of floral phenotypes and sexual dimorphism have rarely been investigated.

Methods

We performed a survey of male and female plants from the dioecious generalist-pollinated Silene dioica (Caryophyllaceae) in a common garden experiment, over two consecutive flowering seaso

SUBMITTER: Moquet L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7424764 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature