Pollination Ecology of Rhynchosia Minima (L.) DC. (Fabaceae)In The
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ECOLOGIA BALKANICA 2019, Vol. 11, Issue 1 June 2019 pp. 108-126 Pollination Ecology of Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC. (Fabaceae) in the Southern Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh, India A.J. Solomon Raju1*, K. Venkata Ramana2 Andhra University, Visakhapatnam 530 003, INDIA 1 - Department of Environmental Sciences 2 - Department of Botany *Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract. Rhynchosia minima is prostrate climbing herb. In India it flowers during September-March with peak flowering during January. The flowers are hermaphroditic, nectariferous, self-compatible and have explosive pollination mechanism adapted for pollination by bees. They do not fruit through autonomous selfing but fruit through manipulated selfing, geitonogamy and xenogamy mediated by pollen vectoring bees. The flowers not visited by bees fall off while those visited and pollinated by them set fruit. Seed dispersal occurs by explosive pod dehiscence. Perennial root stock resurrects back to life during rainy season. Seeds also germinate at the same time but their continued growth is subject to the availability of soil moisture content. Therefore, R. minima expands its population size and succeeds as a weed in water-saturated habitats only. The plant is used as medicine, animal forage and human food and hence it has the potential for exploitation commercially. Key words: economic value, explosive pod dehiscence, explosive pollination mechanism, hermaphroditism, melittophily, Rhynchosia minima. Introduction suaveolens and R. viscosa. These species are Rhynchosia is a genus of the legume either climbers or shrubs (MADHAVA CHETTY family fabaceae, tribe phaseoleae and et al., 2008). Of these, R. minima is a subtribe cajaninae (LACKEY, 1981; pantropical species but it is thought to be JAYASURIYA, 2014). It consists of more than native to the Old World and introduced and 232 species and occurs in both the eastern naturalized in the New World. It is listed as and western hemisphere in warm temperate least concern in bhutan (LOPEZ POVEDA, and tropical regions (GREAR, 1978; JACA et al., 2012). Its population is believed to be stable 2018; SCHRIRE 2005; TURNER 2011). In the and no real threats are known at present. Eastern Ghats, twelve species of this genus The population size of this species is not have been reported to be occurring almost in known, but recent surveys between 1980 and one region, Seshachalam hills of southern 2008 from throughout the range of the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh. They species in india suggest it occurs in groups include R. albiflora, R. beddomei, R. cana, R. of plants from 30 to 500 individuals (LOPEZ capitata, R. courtollensis, R. densiflora, R. POVEDA, 2012). In australia, two varieties heynei, R. minima, R. rothii, R. rufescens, R. have been reported in R. minima based on © Ecologia Balkanica Union of Scientists in Bulgaria – Plovdiv http://eb.bio.uni-plovdiv.bg University of Plovdiv Publishing House Pollination Ecology of Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC. (Fabaceae) in the Southern Eastern Ghats... pod hair character, var. minima as having readily eaten by cattle than sheep; however, pods with short fine hairs only and var. the cattle stay away during its flowering australis as having short fine hairs and long phase due to slight emission of scent from tubercular-based hairs on the pods flowers. SHUKLA et al. (1970) noted that this (ANDREWS, 1952; STANLEY & ROSS, 1983). plant is palatable to sheep in india. Despite Later, HARDING et al. (1989) reported that R. its wide use for humans and animals, this minima is highly variable and there are four species has not been studied for its varieties in australia, var. amaliae, australis, reproductive ecology in any part of the minima and tomentosa. These authors also world to understand the factors that stated that this species with many ecotypes contribute to the success of this plant as a that vary in their adaptation and growth weed in widely different ecological characteristics has the potential to exploit it conditions that prevail in the tropical as a forage plant. Of these infraspecific taxa, latitudes. R. minima var. minima is studied for its Franco (1995, Pers. comm., Campinas, pollination ecology. University of Campinas) provided floral Different authors noted that R. minima is details of Rhynchosia in Brazil. He reported widely used as a medicinal plant. CHUTE & that Rhynchosia is autogamous which is TIWARI (2002) noted that in the indian state limited by spatial segregation between of maharashtra, the tribals of bhandara and stigma and anthers. Levels of out-crossing gadchiroli district use its seed extract as an are maintained by retention of a pollination eye drop to cure conjunctivitis and mechanism. Hypanthidium sp. and Centris sp. inflammation. MUSTAK et al. (2006) are the primary pollinators and the pollen is mentioned that the whole plant is used for deposited on the ventral part of their bath of the mother after delivery in pakistan. abdomen when the flower is probed. GUNDIDZA et al. (2009) stated that the plant is CRAUFURD & PRINS (1979) reported that traditionally used in skin conditioning and Rhynchosia sublobata is self-compatible and to alleviate boils in zimbabwe. LOPEZ pollinated by Xylocopa bees. ETCHEVERRY et POVEDA (2012) described that the plant is al. (2011) reported that Rhynchosia edulis and used for medicines such as abortifacients, R. senna var. texana display valvular ecbolics, general healing, medicines to treat pollination mechanism; the former is sickness such as haemorrhoids, heart, facultative xenogamous while the latter is diarrhoea and dysentery. It is also used as obligately xenogamous. There is no other food (sweets) and its seeds are used as information on flowering phenology, miscellaneous poison or repellents. GILLETT breeding systems, pollen presentation et al. (1971) mentioned that the plant is used mechanisms, pollination mechanisms, as animal forage; its palatability has been pollinators and fruiting ecology of any believed to vary widely with different species of Rhynchosia. It is in this context, the ecotypes that occur in different habitats. present study was contemplated to provide HASSELL (1945) stated that in queensland, the the details of pollination ecology of R. plant is eaten readily by animals when minima to understand the sexual young due to high palatability however, reproduction with which the plant is able to mature plant is not eaten due to fibrous and propagate and occupy different ecological coarse nature. BEESTON (1978) listed R. niches in tropical regions. minima as highly palatable for animals in the blackall district of central west queensland Material and Methods while BOYLAND (1973) mentioned this plant Study site as moderately palatable for animals in the The study region is an integral part of far south-west of queensland. BOGDAN Southern Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh (1977) stated that in kenya, the plant is in Peninsular India. The area is located at 109 A.J. Solomon Raju, K. Venkata Ramana 13°40’N latitude and 79°19’E longitude. The placed in a Petri dish. Later, each time a exact study area is the forest cover of single anther was taken out and placed on a Tirumala Hills, a constituent of Seshachalam clean microscope slide (75 x 25 mm) and Hill Range in Chittoor District, Andhra dabbed with a needle in a drop of Pradesh. The entire region represents the lactophenol-aniline-blue. The anther tissue deciduous forest ecosystem. The site is was then observed under the microscope for characterized by a combination of rocky, pollen, if any, and if pollen grains were not undulating and steep terrain with some litter there, the tissue was removed from the slide. content formed from grass and other The pollen mass was drawn into a band, and herbaceous plants. The temperature ranges the total number of pollen grains was from 40ºC to 42ºC during March to May and counted under a compound microscope (40x at other times varies from 26ºC to 34ºC. The objective, 10x hand lens). This procedure rainfall varies from 975 to 1115 mm. In this was followed for counting the number of area, Rhynchosia minima grows as a small pollen grains in each anther collected. The population in open areas of soil rich in mean pollen output per anther was moisture and litter and as isolated multiplied by the number of anthers in the individuals in open rocky areas with less flower for obtaining the mean number of soil, moisture and litter. pollen grains per flower. The characteristics of pollen grains were also recorded. Flowering and floral biology Flowering season was defined based on Pollen-ovule ratio regular field trips made. Twenty The pollen-ovule ratio was determined inflorescences were tagged and followed to by dividing the average number of pollen record the length of flowering and the grains per flower by the number of ovules number of flowers produced. Anthesis was per flower. The value thus obtained was initially recorded by observing twenty five taken as pollen-ovule ratio (CRUDEN, 1977). marked mature buds in the field. Later, the observations were repeated five times on Nectar characters different days in order to provide accurate The presence of nectar was determined anthesis schedule. Similarly, the mature by observing the mature buds and open buds were followed for recording the time of flowers. The average volume of nectar per anther dehiscence. The presentation pattern flower was determined and expressed in µl of pollen was also investigated by recording based; for this ten flowers were used. The how anthers dehisced and confirmed by flowers used for this purpose were bagged observing the anthers under a 10x hand lens. at mature bud stage, opened after cessation The details of flower morphology such as of nectar secretion and squeezed nectar into flower sex, shape, size, colour, odour, sepals, micropipette for measuring the volume of petals, stamens and ovary were described nectar. Nectar sugar concentration was based on twenty five flowers randomly determined using a Hand Sugar collected from five plants.