Pollination and seed production in Ipomopsis aggregata: differences among and within flower color morphs

The pollination of red, pink, and white color morphs of Ipomopsis aggregata was evaluated to assess whether ethological isolation based on pollinator color discrimination may occur. We observed animal visitors, assessed pollen delivery, seed set per fruit, percentage of flowers setting fruit, nectar...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of botany 1988-09, Vol.75 (9), p.1262-1274
Main Authors: Elam, D.R, Linhart, Y.B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
COLOR
COLOUR
COULEUR
Flower stigma
Flowers
Fruits
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hummingbirds
Ipomopsis aggregata
IPOMOPSIS AGGREGATA SUBSP. CANDIDA
IPOMOPSIS AGGREGATA SUBSP. COLLINA
Plants
Plants and fungi
POLINIZACION
POLINIZADORES
Pollen
Pollinating insects
POLLINATION
POLLINATORS
POLLINISATEUR
POLLINISATION
PRODUCCION DE SEMILLAS
PRODUCTION DE SEMENCES
SEED PRODUCTION
Seed set
Sphingidae
Trochilidae
TUBIFLORAE
VARIEDADES
VARIETE
VARIETIES
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Summary:The pollination of red, pink, and white color morphs of Ipomopsis aggregata was evaluated to assess whether ethological isolation based on pollinator color discrimination may occur. We observed animal visitors, assessed pollen delivery, seed set per fruit, percentage of flowers setting fruit, nectar production, and timing of flower opening for different color morphs in the Front Range of Colorado. Based on traditional zoophilous flower classifications, we expected hummingbirds to pollinate red-flowered I. aggregata subsp. collina and hawkmoths to pollinate white-flowered I aggregata subsp. candida However, ethological isolation does not appear to occur among color morphs of I aggregata in the Front Range. Hummingbirds visited red-flowered plants in excess overall, and, to a lesser extent, so did hawkmoths. Both hummingbirds and hawkmoths visited all color morphs and probably transferred pollen among them. Pollen delivery data and a day-night bagging experiment also suggest that pollinators do not necessarily behave as predicted by flower classifications. In addition, there is little evidence for major differences between red, white, and pink flowers in any aspects of reproductive biology. Indeed, most variation occurs within a given color morph
ISSN:0002-9122
1537-2197
DOI:10.1002/j.1537-2197.1988.tb14186.x