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AOBPreview originally published online on June 20, 2008
Annals of Botany 2008 102(3):473-479; doi:10.1093/aob/mcn102
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© The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Anther Appendages of Incarvillea Trigger a Pollen-dispensing Mechanism

Yi Han1,{dagger}, Can Dai1,2,{dagger}, Chun-Feng Yang1,*, Qing-Feng Wang1,3,* and Timothy J. Motley3

1 Laboratory of Plant Systematics and Evolutionary Biology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, P. R. China
2 Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4328, USA
3 Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529-0266, USA

* For correspondence. E-mail cfyang{at}whu.edu.cn or qfwang{at}whu.edu.cn

Received: 24 March 2008    Returned for revision: 1 May 2008    Accepted: 27 May 2008    Published electronically: 20 June 2008

Background and Aims: Anther appendages play diverse roles in anther dehiscence and pollen dispersal. This study aims to explore the pollen-dispensing mechanism triggered by special anther appendages in Incarvillea arguta.

Methods: Field studies were conducted to record floral characteristics, pollinator visitations, and flower–pollinator interactions. Measurements of flowers and pollinators were analysed statistically. Pollen counts following a series of floral manipulations were used to evaluate pollen dispensing efficiency and function of the anther appendages.

Key Results: Field observations determined that two species of Bombus (bumble-bees) were the primary pollinators of I. arguta with a mean visiting frequency of 1·42 visitations per flower h–1. The results display a diminishing pollen dispensing pattern; the proportion of remaining pollen removed by pollinators decreased from 27 % to 10 % and 7 % in subsequent visits. Anther appendages act as a trigger mechanism to dispense pollen. The arrangement of the anthers and appendages function to control pollen load and timing. Mechanical stimulation experiments revealed that one set of appendages is only triggered by stimulation in the direction moving into the flower, while the other set is only triggered by stimulation in the opposite direction (exiting the flower).

Conclusions: The anther appendage is a pollen-dispensing trigger mechanism. The configuration of the stamens and duel trigger system has evolved to allocate pollen in allotments to enhance male function.

Key words: Incarvillea arguta, anther appendage, pollination biology, Bignoniaceae, stamen morphology, pollen dispensing

{dagger} These authors contributed equally to this paper.


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