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AOBPreview published online on December 13, 2004
Annals of Botany, doi:10.1093/aob/mci044
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Annals of Botany, © Annals of Botany Company 2004; all rights reserved
Received July 13, 2004
Revised September 13, 2004
Accepted October 22, 2004

Article

Effect of Ovule Position within the Pod on the Probability of Seed Production in Bauhinia ungulata (Fabaceae)

JORGE I. MENA-ALÍ 1* and OSCAR J. ROCHA 1

1 Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, Ciudad Universitaria Rodrigo Facio, San José, Costa Rica

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
JORGE I. MENA-ALÍ, E-mail: jim123{at}psu.edu


  Abstract

• Background and Aims It has been claimed that ovules linearly ordered within a fruit differ in their probabilities of reaching maturity. This was investigated by studying the effect the position of an ovule within the pod has on seed abortion and seed production in Bauhinia ungulata.

• Methods Fruits collected during the dry seasons of 1999, 2000 and 2001 were opened, and the number, position and status of each ovule within the fruit were recorded. A GLM model was used to assess the effects of population, tree identity and ovule position within the pod on ovule fertilization, seed abortion, seed damage and seed maturation in two populations of B. ungulata.

• Key Results Nearly 30 % of the ovules were not fertilized in 1999; this percentage dropped to 5 % the following two years. Seed abortion (50 %) and seed damage (15 %) were the same every year during the study period. Only 15 % of the initial ovules developed into mature seeds in 1999; this value increased to 35 % in 2000 and 2001. However, seed survivorship was dependent on the position of the ovule within the pod; non-fertilized and early aborted ovules were found more often near the basal end of the ovary. The frequency of seed damage was not affected by position. Mature seeds were found mainly in the stylar half of fruits, where ovules are likely to be fertilized by fast pollen tubes.

• Conclusions The pattern of seed production in B. ungulata is non-random but is dependent upon the position of the ovule within the pod. The results suggest that the seeds produced within a fruit might differ in their vigour.

Keywords: Bauhinia ungulata, Fabaceae, Guanacaste conservation area, microgametophytic competition, ovule position, seed abortion, seed set.
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J. I. MENA-ALI and O. J. ROCHA
Selective Seed Abortion Affects the Performance of the Offspring in Bauhinia ungulata
Ann. Bot., May 1, 2005; 95(6): 1017 - 1023.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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