Floral and reproductive biology of Escallonia pulverulenta (Ruiz et Pav.) Pers. (Escalloniaceae) and its relationship with floral visitors

Abstract

This study examined the floral biology and reproductive system of Escallonia pulverulenta, an endemic shrub of central Chile. Manual, automatic and natural pollination treatments were performed, and seed set per fruit was evaluated. Also was evaluated floral longevity, seed production variation with the donor plant distance, the flowering patterns and its relationship with floral visitors. The species is self-incompatible and requires biotic vectors to reproduce. The flowers bloom synchronously and the floral display achieves their maximum thirteenth days after that flowering started. Each flower was available to be pollinated for five days and nights and fertility did not increase with distance from the pollen donor plant. The flowers were visited by a diverse assemblage of pollinators but variable between years. Because the longevity of their flowers and their reproductive potential, this plant could use a mass-flowering strategy and attract an unpredictable assembly of pollinators, which after visiting several times over several days the flowers could reach enough levels of cross pollination.