Quantitative studies of the mating system in two sympatric species of Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae)

✍ Scribed by R. A. Ennos

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 1981
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 380 KB
• Volume: 57
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0016-6707
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00131233

✦ Synopsis

The rates of outcrossing in sympatric populations of Ipomoea purpurea and L hederacea were estimated (using electrophoretic markers) to be 70% and 7% respectively. The difference in outcrossing rate is not apparently due to differences in pollinator service received by the species, but is associated with differences in anther-stigma distance. In L purpurea stigmas are generally exserted and there is much genetic variation for anther-stigma distance. Variation in this character has a significant effect on the ease with which selfpollination occurs. In contrast there is no variation for the character in the L hederacea population, the anthers being invariably held at the same level as the stigma, an arrangement promoting self-pollination.