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Reproductive outputs to floral trait variation in Nicotiana alata (Solanaceae) in Southern Brazil

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Abstract

Floral traits are useful for understanding how natural selection has acted upon the evolution of plants over short time spans and in restrictive ecological scenarios. Furthermore, the spatio-temporal dynamic of inter and intraspecific interactions acts in the individual’s fitness and contributes to floral traits’ evolutionary history. Nicotiana alata presents large white flowers typical of hawkmoth pollination. A population of N. alata was monitored between 2011 and 2012, and we observed differential reproductive rates throughout the flowering period, with substantially higher values of fruit and seed set at the beginning than at the end of the flowering season. There was an indication of pollen limitation in the middle of the reproductive season, with difference in seed set between natural and hand pollination. Decreasing longevity over time was observed, as were different reproductive rates between distinctive floral life times, with higher values of fruit set in 5-day flowers (88.8 %). These results may indicate density-dependent effects in reproductive outputs and intraspecific interactions as one of the potential ecological factors impacting flowering time. Furthermore, although the hawkmoths are recognized for their unpredictability, the visits’ efficiency may contribute to adequate pollen loads in flowers with shorter longevity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus São Gabriel, Av. Antônio Trilha, 1847, São Gabriel, RS, CEP 97300-000, Brazil

    Suiane Santos Oleques & Rubem Samuel de Avila Jr.

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  1. Suiane Santos Oleques
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  2. Rubem Samuel de Avila Jr.
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Correspondence to Suiane Santos Oleques.

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Oleques, S.S., de Avila, R.S. Reproductive outputs to floral trait variation in Nicotiana alata (Solanaceae) in Southern Brazil. Plant Syst Evol 300, 2147–2153 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-014-1026-8

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