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Exine micromorphology and ultrastructure in Neottieae (Epidendroideae, Orchidaceae)

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Abstract

The diverse epidendroid orchid tribe Neottieae is characterized by multiple transitions between autotrophy and mycoheterotrophy, allogamous and autogamous mating systems, pollen released as tetrads or monads, and pollen exine tectate or semitectate. We use transmission and scanning electron microscopy on pollen of ten species of Neottieae to investigate whether the differences in pollen aggregation and exine micromorphology and ultrastructure reflect phylogenetic relationships, or whether this variation is subject to ecological constraints. Our results showed that differences in exine micromorphology are mostly concordant with phylogenetic relationships in Neottieae, i.e. an ascending tendency of pollen ornamentation from tectate (Cephalanthera) to semitectate (e.g. Neottia). In contrast, pollen aggregation, when plotted on the most recent phylogeny, shows repeated transitions between monads and tetrads that could be related to ecological constraints. Tetrads are present in species that are nectar rewarding, whereas monads are common in deceptive species. Cephalanthera is characterized by recalcitrant pollen, including the frequent occurrence of collapsed pollen. In this genus, the observed shifts from allogamous to autogamous or cleistogamous mating systems could help to reduce pollen damage caused by exposure to dry habitats.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Richard Bateman for useful comments on the manuscript. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for their comments and suggestions that significantly improved the revised MS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Biologia, Orto Botanico, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Foria 223, 80139, Naples, Italy

    Maria Rosaria Barone Lumaga & Bruno Menale

  2. Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Complesso Universitario MSA, Naples, Italy

    Salvatore Cozzolino

  3. Biodiversity Research/Systematic Botany, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Maulbeerallee 2a, 14469, Potsdam, Germany

    Alexander Kocyan

  4. ETH Zurich, Plant Ecological Genetics, Institute of Integrative Biology, Universitatstrasse 16, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland

    Alexander Kocyan

  5. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Surrey, Richmond, UK

    Paula J. Rudall

Authors
  1. Maria Rosaria Barone Lumaga
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  2. Salvatore Cozzolino
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  3. Alexander Kocyan
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  4. Bruno Menale
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  5. Paula J. Rudall
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Rosaria Barone Lumaga.

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Barone Lumaga, M.R., Cozzolino, S., Kocyan, A. et al. Exine micromorphology and ultrastructure in Neottieae (Epidendroideae, Orchidaceae). Plant Syst Evol 300, 505–515 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-013-0899-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-013-0899-2

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