Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Flowering Biology of Alisma plantago-aquatica (Alismataceae)

  • Published:
Doklady Biological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Field observations of flowering Alisma plantago-aquatica plants were carried out in Moscow region (Russia). The A. plantago-aquatica flower remains anthetic for a single light day, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. White petals showed a contrast bicolored pattern in UV light, and the pattern probably serves as a nectar clue for pollinators. Flowers were visited by insects in daytime from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Coleopterans (Coccinellidae), dipterans (Drosophilidae, Hybotidae, Muscidae, Sepsidae, and Syrphidae), and hymenopterans (Apidae) were observed as flower visitors. Hoverflies (Syrphidae) and bees (Apidae) were the most frequent visitors. Large amounts of A. plantago-aquatica pollen grains were found on their bodies, and a major role in pollination was consequently assumed for the insects. Based on the original findings and literature data on A. plantago-aquatica reproductive biology in Belgium, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, hoverflies were identified as the most stable and efficient pollinators of A. plantago-aquatica in various parts of the species range. Bees (Apidae) were recognized as A. plantago-aquatica pollinators for the first time in this work. A flower isolation experiment confirmed that A. plantago-aquatica is a self-compatible plant, but requires insects for the most efficient cross-pollination.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 6.

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  1. Araki, K., Yamada, E., and Ohara, M., Breeding system and floral visitors of Convallaria keiskei, Plant Species Biol., 2005, vol. 20, pp. 149–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Charlton, W.A., Studies in the Alismataceae, II: Inflorescences of Alismataceae, Can. J. Bot., 1973, vol. 51, no. 4, pp. 775–789.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Chen, L.Y., Chen, J.M., Gituru, R.W., Temam, T.D., and Wang, Q.F., Generic phylogeny and historical biogeography of Alismataceae, inferred from multiple DNA sequences, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol., 2012, vol. 63, no. 2, pp. 407–416.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Daumann, E., Insekten- und Windbestäubung bei Alisma plantago-aquatica L., Österreichische Bot. Z., 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Daumann, E., Zur Morphologie der Blüte von Alisma plantago-aquatica L., Preslia, 1964, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 226–239.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Dixon, T.A., Studies on oviposition behaviour of Syrphidae (Diptera), Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. London, 1959, vol. 111, pp. 37–81.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Eber, E., Karpellbau und Plazentationsverhältnisse in der Reihe der Helobiae: Mit einem Anhang über die verwandtschaftlichen Beziehungen zwischen Ranales und Helobiae, Flora Allg. Bot. Ztg., 1934, vol. 127, no. 4, pp. 273–330.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Haynes, R.R., Les, D.H., and Holm-Nielsen, L.B., Alismataceae, in Flowering Plants. Monocotyledons, Berlin Heidelberg, 1998, pp. 11–18.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Igersheim, A., Buzgo, M., and Endress, P.K., Gynoecium diversity and systematics in basal monocots, Bot. J. Linn. Soc., 2001, vol. 136, no. 1, pp. 1–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Iwamoto, A., Nakamura, A., Kurihara, S., Otani, A., and De Craene, L.P.R., Floral development of petaloid Alismatales as an insight into the origin of the trimerous Bauplan in monocot flowers, J. Plant Res., 2018, vol. 131, no. 3, pp. 395–407.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Jacobson, A. and Hedren, M., Phylogenetic relationships in Alisma (Alismataceae) based on RAPDs, and sequence data from ITS and trnL., Plant Syst. Evol., 2007, vol. 265, no. 1, pp. 27–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Kamelina, O.P., Sistematicheskaya embriologiya tsvetkovyh rastenii. Odnodolnye (Systematic Embryology of Flowering Plants. Monocots), Barnaul, 2011.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Kaul, R.B., Reproductive phenology and biology in annual and perennial Alismataceae, Aquat. Bot., 1985, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 153–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Remizowa, M.V., Sokoloff, D.D., and Rudall, P.J., Evolutionary history of the monocot flower, Ann. Mo. Bot. Gard., 2010, vol. 97, no. 4, pp. 617–645.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Singh, V. and Sattler, R., Floral development of Alisma triviale, Can. J. Bot., 1972, vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 619–627.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Sokoloff, D.D., von Mering, S., and Remizowa, M.V., Female flower and fruit anatomy of Tetroncium magellanicum: implications for gynoecium evolution in the early divergent monocot order Alismatales, Bot. J. Linn. Soc., 2015, vol. 179, no. 4, pp. 712–724.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Thijs, K.W., Brys, R., Verboven, H.A., and Hermy, M., The influence of an invasive plant species on the pollination success and reproductive output of three riparian plant species, Biol. Invasions, 2012, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 355–365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Tsvelev, N.N. and Alisma L., in Flora evropeiskoi chasti SSSR (Flora of European Part of USSR), Leningrad, 1979, vol. IV, pp. 158–162.

  19. Tsvelev, N.N., Family Alismataceae, in Zhizn’ rastenii, T. 6. Tsvetkovye rasteniya (Life of Plants, Vol. 6: Flowering Plants), 1981, Moscow, pp. 12–17.

  20. Van Heel, W.A., On the development of some gynoecia with septal nectaries, Blumea, 1988, vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 477–504.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Vieira, M.F. and de Souza Lima, N.A., Pollination of Echinodorus grandiflorus (Alismataceae), Aquat. Bot., 1997, vol. 58, no. 2, pp. 89–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Vuille, F.L., Reproductive biology of the genus Damasonium (Alismataceae), Plant Syst. Evol., 1987, vol. 157, no. 1, pp. 63–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Vuille, F.L., The reproductive biology of the genus Baldellia (Alismataceae), Plant Syst. Evol., 1988, vol. 159, no. 3, pp. 173–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are grateful to D.D. Sokolov for valuable advice on field experiments and manuscript preparation.

Funding

This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (project no. 19-14-00055).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Higher Plants, Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, 119234, Moscow, Russia

    N. A. Vislobokov

  2. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071, Moscow, Russia

    E. A. Kuzmicheva

Authors
  1. N. A. Vislobokov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. A. Kuzmicheva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to N. A. Vislobokov or E. A. Kuzmicheva.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interests. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

This article does not contain any studies involving animals or human subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

Translated by T. Tkacheva

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Vislobokov, N.A., Kuzmicheva, E.A. Flowering Biology of Alisma plantago-aquatica (Alismataceae). Dokl Biol Sci 506, 172–178 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0012496622050167

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0012496622050167

Keywords:

Search

Navigation