Abstract
Burmannia shows a set of floral traits that suggest elaborate mechanisms of animal-mediated pollen transfer. These include flower coloration, septal nectaries and a long and narrow floral chamber. The stamens are synorganized with the common style restricting the entrance to the floral chamber, sometimes forming a gynostegium. Contrary to this apparent zoophilous floral syndrome, several species of Burmannia were reported to perform self-pollination via cleistogamy. Understanding of reproductive systems in Burmannia is complicated by scarcity of available results of direct observations on pollination process. Here we present data on pollination biology of B. disticha obtained during field investigations in Vietnam followed by laboratory analyses of ecologically important floral traits and the captured flower visitors. We found that the anthetic perianth is open, i.e. the flower is chasmogamous. The flowers are visited by various Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Orthoptera. Of them, the bumblebees ( Bombus burmensis ), a bee ( Coelioxys sp.) and some lepidopterans were revealed to carry pollen of B. disticha . Based on the amount of carried pollen, insect behavior during the visits and general knowledge on biology of these insect taxa, we concluded that the bumblebees act as the principal pollinators of B. disticha , whereas the lepidopterans are considered as its possible pollinators. We compared the lengths of proboscises of the captured insects to the depth of the floral chamber, and found that only the bumblebees and lepidopterans should be able to reach the nectar. Finally, we estimated the pollen-ovule ratio of B. disticha as 6.84, which is comparable to the ratio known in autogamous angiosperms. Based on its flower organization and pollination mechanism, we consider B. disticha an entomophilous and predominantly xenogamous species. Its gynostegium is likely an adaptation for pollen transfer by insects with long proboscises. At the same time, earlier investigations together with pollen-ovule ratio indicate that B. disticha possesses a labile pollination strategy, and autogamy sometimes occurs. Since Burmannia is one of the few angiosperm genera that comprise both mycoheterotrophic (achlorophyllous) and autotrophic (green) species, our study provides important evidence for reconstructions of ecological and morphological evolutionary pathways in relation to the mode of organic nutrition.
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Claims 13
Claim · model-written summary
The flower has an open anthetic perianth and is chasmogamous.
- Taxon
- Burmannia disticha
Burmannia distichat0 - Outcome
- the anthetic perianth is opene0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“We found that the anthetic perianth is open, i.e. the flower is chasmogamous.”
t0“Burmannia disticha”
Claim · model-written summary
Flowers are visited by insects from four orders.
- Taxon
- Burmannia distichaBurmannia distichat0
- Interactor
- Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and OrthopteraOrthopteraLepidopteraDipteraHymenopterae0pollinator
- Outcome
- flowers are visited by various Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Orthopterae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The flowers are visited by various Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Orthoptera.”
t0“Burmannia disticha”
Claim · model-written summary
Bombus burmensis carried B. disticha pollen.
- Taxon
- Burmannia distichaBurmannia distichat0
- Interactor
- Bombus burmensise0pollinator
- Outcome
- carry pollen of B. distichae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Of them, the bumblebees ( Bombus burmensis ), a bee ( Coelioxys sp.) and some lepidopterans were revealed to carry pollen of B. disticha .”
t0“Burmannia disticha”
Claim · model-written summary
Coelioxys sp. carried B. disticha pollen.
- Taxon
- Burmannia distichaBurmannia distichat0
- Outcome
- carry pollen of B. distichae0
CoelioxysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Of them, the bumblebees ( Bombus burmensis ), a bee ( Coelioxys sp.) and some lepidopterans were revealed to carry pollen of B. disticha .”
t0“Burmannia disticha”
Claim · model-written summary
lepidopterans carried B. disticha pollen.
- Taxon
- Burmannia distichaBurmannia distichat0
- Interactor
- lepidopteranse0pollinator
- Outcome
- carry pollen of B. distichae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Of them, the bumblebees ( Bombus burmensis ), a bee ( Coelioxys sp.) and some lepidopterans were revealed to carry pollen of B. disticha .”
t0“Burmannia disticha”
Claim · model-written summary
Bumblebees are the principal pollinators.
- Taxon
- Burmannia distichaBurmannia distichat0
- Outcome
- principal pollinators of B. distichae0
BombusOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Based on the amount of carried pollen, insect behavior during the visits and general knowledge on biology of these insect taxa, we concluded that the bumblebees act as the principal pollinators of B. disticha , whereas the lepidopterans are considered as its possible pollinators.”
t0“Burmannia disticha”
Claim · model-written summary
Lepidopterans may also pollinate B. disticha.
- Taxon
- Burmannia distichaBurmannia distichat0
- Interactor
- lepidopteranse0pollinator
- Outcome
- possible pollinatorse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Based on the amount of carried pollen, insect behavior during the visits and general knowledge on biology of these insect taxa, we concluded that the bumblebees act as the principal pollinators of B. disticha , whereas the lepidopterans are considered as its possible pollinators.”
t0“Burmannia disticha”
Claim · model-written summary
Only bumblebees and lepidopterans appeared able to reach nectar.
- Taxon
- Burmannia distichaBurmannia distichat0
- Second interactor
- lepidopteranse0pollinator
- Outcome
- able to reach the nectare0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“We compared the lengths of proboscises of the captured insects to the depth of the floral chamber, and found that only the bumblebees and lepidopterans should be able to reach the nectar.”
t0“Burmannia disticha”
Claim · model-written summary
The pollen-ovule ratio was 6.84, comparable to autogamous angiosperms.
- Taxon
- Burmannia distichaBurmannia distichat0
- Outcome
- pollen-ovule ratioe0
- Value
- 6.84e0
- Comparator
- autogamous angiospermse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Finally, we estimated the pollen-ovule ratio of B. disticha as 6.84, which is comparable to the ratio known in autogamous angiosperms.”
t0“Burmannia disticha”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors consider the species insect pollinated and predominantly outcrossing.
- Taxon
- Burmannia distichaBurmannia distichat0
- Outcome
- entomophilous and predominantly xenogamous speciese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Based on its flower organization and pollination mechanism, we consider B. disticha an entomophilous and predominantly xenogamous species.”
t0“Burmannia disticha”
Claim · model-written summary
The gynostegium likely facilitates pollen transfer by long-proboscis insects.
- Taxon
- Burmannia distichaBurmannia distichat0
- Organ / stage
- gynostegiume0
- Outcome
- pollen transfer by insects with long proboscisese0
- Qualifier
- likely an adaptatione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Its gynostegium is likely an adaptation for pollen transfer by insects with long proboscises.”
t0“Burmannia disticha”
Claim · model-written summary
The species has a labile pollination strategy.
- Taxon
- Burmannia distichaBurmannia distichat0
- Outcome
- labile pollination strategye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At the same time, earlier investigations together with pollen-ovule ratio indicate that B. disticha possesses a labile pollination strategy, and autogamy sometimes occurs.”
t0“Burmannia disticha”
Claim · model-written summary
Autogamy sometimes occurs.
- Taxon
- Burmannia distichaBurmannia distichat0
- Outcome
- autogamy sometimes occurse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At the same time, earlier investigations together with pollen-ovule ratio indicate that B. disticha possesses a labile pollination strategy, and autogamy sometimes occurs.”
t0“Burmannia disticha”