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Selfing potential in Epipactis palustris, E. helleborine and E. atrorubens (Orchidaceae)

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Abstract

Factors enabling and limiting self-fertilization were examined in populations of Epipactis palustris, E. helleborine and E. atrorubens located in NE Poland. In these species we found self-compatibility within the same flower (even 100% of fruit set from induced autogamy) and the same inflorescence (reaching 90–100% of fruit set from induced geitonogamy). Facultative autogamy was found only in E. palustris (even 82.5% of fruit set in a bagged inflorescence), due to underdevelopment of the clinandrium and projection of pollinia over the rostellum. Allogamy was predominant in E. helleborine (maximum to 2.8% of fruits set spontaneously) and E. atrorubens (maximum to 3.4%), attributable to a well-developed rostellum and clinandrium and to the position of pollinia. Autonomous selfing takes place during flower wilting, when the viscidium becomes evanescent and the pollinia are fragile. Selfing is enabled mostly by pollinator behaviour, promoting both geitonogamy and autogamy, and influencing mixed-mating.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Wojciech Adamowski for providing access to his Epipactis library, Leszek Bernacki for precise identification of E. helleborine, Adam Hermaniuk and Agnieszka Zalewska for help during field research, Janusz and Mirosława Kupryjanowicz for providing photographic equipment and advice, Piotr Tałałaj for taking the photographs, and Ada Wróblewska for assistance and advice. This work was supported by the Polish State Committee for Scientific Research (KBN grant no. 2 P04F 061 28).

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  1. Institute of Biology, University of Białystok, Świerkowa 20B, 15-950, Białystok, Poland

    I. Tałałaj & E. Brzosko

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  1. I. Tałałaj
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Correspondence to I. Tałałaj.

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Tałałaj, I., Brzosko, E. Selfing potential in Epipactis palustris, E. helleborine and E. atrorubens (Orchidaceae). Plant Syst Evol 276, 21–29 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-008-0082-3

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