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Reproductive biology of Solanum vespertilio (Solanaceae), a zygomorphic, heterantherous, enantiostylous, and andromonoecious rare Canary Islands endemic

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Abstract

Without full knowledge of the reproductive biology of endemic species, the chances of effective conservation decline. We conducted multi-year field and laboratory studies of the sexual system and reproductive biology of Solanum vespertilio. Flowers are tetramerous, zygomorphic, heterantherous and sometimes enantiostylous. The species is andromonoecious. Anthers are heteromorphic in both sex forms, with one long upcurved and three straight shorter anthers. The style in male flowers is short to vestigial; in hermaphrodites it is strongly up-turned, longer than the anthers. The single large anther bears 45 % of the pollen. Some of these unusual features may illustrate insular release from selection, though, given the antiquity of the Canaries; they likely constitute selection to promote effective sexual reproduction and outcrossing. Experiments with manually deflected styles showed higher fruit set than controls. The nascent expression of enantiostyly offers the opportunity for understanding its evolution. The species is weakly self-compatible, which may offer fertility insurance, or be remnant of the status of colonizers. Field observations suggest that the number of fruit developing in an inflorescence affects the gender of subsequent flowers. Thus, the strength of andromonoecy may both affect the rate of outcrossing (genetic issues), and/or constitute a mechanism for response to the level of fruit set (physiological/ecological issues). Flowers were buzz-pollinated by large-bodied native bees. Most of the unusual features of S. vespertilio presumably promote effective pollen transport and perhaps outcrossing. Effective conservation programs depend not only on protecting habitat, but also on fruit set; the latter is dependent on knowledge of pollination and reproductive biology.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Mona Anderson and Paul Neal for extensive field assistance, Paul Neal for data analysis, Francisco La Roche-Brier for identification of insects, A. Marrero and R. Mesa for information about some natural populations, and for loans. The American Philosophical Society, the University of Connecticut College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the University of Connecticut Research Foundation, CONICET and Universidad Nacional de Cordoba (Argentina) provided financial support, and the Jardín de Aclimatación de La Orotava, Tenerife, logistic support. The Instituto Canario de Investigaciones Agrarias (Spain) kindly provided access to the spectacular and protected botanical resources Parque rural de Anaga.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269-3043, USA

    Gregory J. Anderson

  2. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), Casilla de Correo 495, 5000, Córdoba, Argentina

    Gabriel Bernardello

  3. Jardín de Aclimatación de La Orotava (ICIA), Retama 2, 38400, Puerto de La Cruz, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

    Arnoldo Santos-Guerra

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  1. Gregory J. Anderson
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  2. Gabriel Bernardello
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Correspondence to Gabriel Bernardello.

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Anderson, G.J., Bernardello, G. & Santos-Guerra, A. Reproductive biology of Solanum vespertilio (Solanaceae), a zygomorphic, heterantherous, enantiostylous, and andromonoecious rare Canary Islands endemic. Plant Syst Evol 301, 1191–1206 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-014-1143-4

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