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Reproductive Biology of Grusonia bradtiana (Cactaceae): A Dominant Species and Endemic Clonal Cactus from Cuatro Ciénegas Basin and Contiguous Areas in the Chihuahuan Desert

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Plant Diversity and Ecology in the Chihuahuan Desert

Part of the book series: Cuatro Ciénegas Basin: An Endangered Hyperdiverse Oasis ((CUCIBA))

Abstract

Grusonia bradtiana “viejito” (old man cactus) is an endemic species from Cuatro Ciénegas Basin and nearby areas. Grusonia includes 17 clonal species distributed along North American deserts which grow in dense cushion or shrubs. Grusonia bradtiana reproduces sexually by flowering and fruiting, forming seeds with new genetic combinations (new genets). The species clones by fragmentation of stems of different sizes that root independently, producing genetically identical offspring (ramets). Clonal species develop complex reproductive interactions as pollination output depends on pollen transfer between genetically different genets or identical ramets. The hypothesis is that clonality negatively affects sexual reproduction as floral traits are adaptations to promote cross-pollination (among genets) and have evolved to reduce negative effects of inbreeding. We studied the reproductive biology of Grusonia bradtiana and assessed the effect of clonality upon its reproductive success with controlled pollination. We also determined the frequency and taxonomic identity of floral visitors, to assess the pollination syndrome. Flowering occurs once a year during spring. Flowers are diurnal with a life span of 8 h; they are yellow, with radial symmetry, yellow-white lobulated stigma, and produce nectar. Flowers have thigmonastic stamens with red filaments supporting anthers that contain high amount of viable pollen. The flower is perfect, there is no separation of sexual functions in time (dichogamy), but there is in space (herkogamy), attributes that allow selfing and may reduce sexual interference, respectively. The fruit is dry, possibly a trait unique to Grusonia. Pollinators are solitary bees (Diadasia and Melissodes), a melittophily pollination syndrome. The species require the pollinator services to set fruit and seeds, and it suffers inbreeding depression if self-pollinated, so pollination among ramets decreases seed set, representing a cost of clonality. The selfing rate is high when plants are big or if clonality is frequent, as pollinators tend to visit nearby flowers increasing geitonogamy. The species has a mixed mating system with an outcrossing tendency, where delayed selfing (autogamy and geitonogamy) is a mechanism that ensure reproduction when outcrossing fails.

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Acknowledgments

Jordan Golubov, Luis E. Eguiarte, and Francisco Molina-Freaner for comments on previous versions of the chapter. Financial support of project IN205500 PAPIIT-DGPA UNAM to MC Mandujano and PRONATURA provided free stay at La Becerra, Cuatro Ciénegas, during our field trips. Susana Moncada and personnel from the Area de protección de Flora y Fauna Cuatrocienegas provided logistic support. We appreciate the help during field work of Manuel Rosas, Gisela Aguilar Morales and in memoriam of our dearest friend Dolores Rosas Barrera (2018). The first author thanks the help at different stages of the work to M.Sc. Daniel Cervantes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad, CONABIO, Mexico City, Mexico

    Lucía Plasencia-López

  2. Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico

    Mariana Rojas-Aréchiga & María C. Mandujano

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  1. Lucía Plasencia-López
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  2. Mariana Rojas-Aréchiga
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  3. María C. Mandujano
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Correspondence to María C. Mandujano .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico

    Maria C. Mandujano

  2. Departmento Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico

    Irene Pisanty

  3. Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico

    Luis E. Eguiarte

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Plasencia-López, L., Rojas-Aréchiga, M., Mandujano, M.C. (2020). Reproductive Biology of Grusonia bradtiana (Cactaceae): A Dominant Species and Endemic Clonal Cactus from Cuatro Ciénegas Basin and Contiguous Areas in the Chihuahuan Desert. In: Mandujano, M., Pisanty, I., Eguiarte, L. (eds) Plant Diversity and Ecology in the Chihuahuan Desert. Cuatro Ciénegas Basin: An Endangered Hyperdiverse Oasis. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44963-6_5

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