A leaky dimorphic sexual system and breeding system characterize a successful island colonist: the reproductive biology of Plocama pendula (Rubiaceae)

Island plants provide special opportunities for the study of evolution and ecology. In field and greenhouse studies we characterized a model reproductive system for Plocama pendula, endemic to the Canary Islands. This species has a complicated and not immediately obvious reproductive system. Pollination is biotic, and all flowers are morphologically hermaphroditic, but half of the plants characteristically bear flowers with nectar, pistils with reflexed stigmatic lobes and pollen-less anthers (i.e. they are functionally female flowers). The other half bear nectar-less flowers with abundant pollen and full-sized pistils that mostly have un-reflexed stigmatic lobes (i.e. they are hermaphroditic flowers functioning mostly as males). However, experiments show these pollen-bearing flowers to be self-compatible. Thus, the functionally male flowers have a breeding system that allows selfing in limited circumstances, but the functionally male flowers produce far fewer fruits than do functionally female flowers. With morphologically gynodioecious, functionally largely dioecious flowers, sometimes capable of selfing, the reproductive system of this species could be labelled as ‘leaky’ in many respects. Thus, we propose that P. pendula has colonized new habitats and persists in substantial populations at least in part because it manifests a reproductive system that is a model for successfully balancing the often-conflicting evolutionary demands of colonization, establishment and persistence.