Long-tongued insects promote disassortative pollen transfer in style-dimorphic Narcissus papyraceus (Amaryllidaceae)

1. In hermaphroditic flowers, reciprocal herkogamy e.g. heterostyly enhances pollen transfer between floral morphs (disassortative pollination) while avoiding self-interference between sexual organs. By contrast, disassortative pollination might be compromised in style-dimorphic flowers, which lack perfect reciprocity between the two floral morphs. This sub-optimal functioning has been considered to explain why stylar dimorphism is rare in nature. 2. Some style-polymorphic species receive a wide array of floral visitors, including long-tongued insects that feed on nectar and short-tongued insects that feed on pollen. Differences in the morphology and behaviour of these two insect types could be manifested as different pollination patterns in each floral morph. 3. By observing individual pollinators and pollen deposition and delivery in small field-based experimental arrays with emasculated and intact flowers, we studied pollination patterns mediated by different insect types (long- and ...

1. 在两性花（hermaphroditic flowers）中，交互雌雄异位（reciprocal herkogamy）——例如异型花柱（heterostyly）——可促进花型间的花粉传递（异配传粉，disassortative pollination），同时避免性器官间的自干扰。相比之下，异配传粉在花柱二型花（style-dimorphic flowers）中可能受损，这类花的两种花型间缺乏完美的交互性。这种次优功能被认为可以解释为何花柱二态性（stylar dimorphism）在自然界中较为罕见。2. 部分花柱多态物种（style-polymorphic species）会吸引多种访花者，包括以花蜜为食的长舌昆虫和以花粉为食的短舌昆虫。这两类昆虫在形态与行为上的差异，可能会在各花型中表现为不同的传粉模式。3. 通过在包含去雄花和完整花的小型田间实验阵列中观察单个传粉者及花粉的沉积与传递过程，我们研究了由不同昆虫类型（长舌……）介导的传粉模式。