Why Variation in Flower Color May Help Reproductive Success in the Endangered Australian Orchid Caladenia fulva.

ABSTRACT: Caladenia fulva G.W. Carr (Tawny Spider-orchid) is a terrestrial Australian endangered orchid confined to contiguous reserves in open woodland in Victoria, Australia. Natural recruitment is poor and no confirmed pollinator has been observed in the last 30 years. Polymorphic variation in flower color complicates plans for artificial pollination, seed collection and ex situ propagation for augmentation or re-introduction. DNA sequencing showed that there was no distinction among color variants in the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the chloroplast trnT-trnF and matK regions. Also, authentic specimens of both C. fulva and Caladenia reticulata from the reserves clustered along with these variants, suggesting free interbreeding. Artific

SUBMITTER: Basist G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7899986 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature