Functional androdioecy in critically endangered Gymnocladus assamicus (Leguminosae) in the Eastern Himalayan Region of Northeast India

PLoS One. 2014 Feb 28;9(2):e87287. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087287. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Gymnocladus assamicus is a critically endangered tree species endemic to Northeast India, and shows sexual dimorphism with male and hermaphrodite flowers on separate trees. We studied phenology, reproductive biology and mating system of the species. The flowers are small, tubular, odorless and last for about 96 hours. Pollen grains in both morphs were viable and capable of fertilization leading to fruit and seed set. Scanning electron micrographs revealed morphologically similar pollen in both male and hermaphrodite flowers. The fruit set in open pollinated flowers was 43.61 percent, while controlled autogamous and geitonogamous pollinations yielded 76.81 and 65.58 percent fruit set respectively. Xenogamous pollinations between male and hermaphrodite flowers resulted in 56.85 percent fruit set and pollinations between hermaphrodite flowers yielded 67.90 percent fruit set. This indicates a functionally androdioecious mating system and pollination limited fruit set in G. assamicus. Phylogenetic analyses of Gymnocladus and the sister genus Gleditsia are needed to assess if the androdioecious mating system in G. assamicus evolved from dioecy as a result of selection for hermaphrodites for reproductive assurance during colonization of pollination limited high altitude ecosystems.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Ecosystem
  • Fabaceae / anatomy & histology
  • Fabaceae / classification
  • Fabaceae / physiology*
  • Flowers / anatomy & histology
  • Flowers / classification
  • Flowers / physiology
  • India
  • Phylogeny
  • Pollen / anatomy & histology
  • Pollen / classification
  • Pollen / physiology
  • Pollination / physiology

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi (Sanction no. SR/SO/PS-16/2002) to M.L.K. Partial support of FRQNT and NSERC to BC and SD is greatly acknowledged. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.