Figure 1.
Flowers of Pseuduvaria mulgraveana, showing different phenological stages (A–G) and activities of the effective beetle pollinator, Aethina australis (H–M).
(A) Early bud phase. (B) Outer petal opening phase. (C) Sexually mature staminate flower, with innermost anthers dehiscing (OP = outer petal; IP = inner petal). (D) Hermaphroditic flower in pistillate phase. (E) Hermaphroditic flower during pistillate phase, with nectar secretion (indicated by arrow) on the dark red glands. (F) Hermaphroditic flower in petal abscission phase. (G) Hermaphroditic flower in staminate phase, with anthers dehiscing. (H) Beetles consuming petals and nectar in a pistillate-phase hermaphroditic flower. (I) Beetles copulating (indicated by arrow) outside the floral chamber of a pistillate-phase hermaphroditic flower. (J) Beetles remaining on the inner petal glands of a pistillate-phase hermaphroditic flower (indicated by arrow). (K) Beetles touching stigmas of a pistillate-phase hermaphroditic flower (indicated by arrow). (L) Beetles (indicated by arrow) visiting sexually mature staminate flowers. (M) Beetle bite marks on the petals.
Figure 2.
Timing of phenological events in flowers of Pseuduvaria mulgraveana during sexually functional phases.
(A) Staminate flowers: a = initiation of anther dehiscence and nectar secretion; b = arrival of pollinators; c = petal abscission and departure of pollinators. (B) Structurally hermaphroditic flowers: a = start of stigma exudation and nectar secretion; b = arrival of pollinators; c = petal abscission and departure of pollinators; d = cessation of stigmatic receptivity; e = initiation of anther dehiscence of the staminodes; f = abscission of staminodes. Numbering of days in (A) and (B) is not correlated.
Figure 3.
Comparative germination of Pseuduvaria mulgraveana pollen across eight different sucrose concentrations.
Pollen obtained from different phenological phases (pistillate, petal abscission, and staminate phases) of staminate and structurally hermaphroditic flowers.