Breeding system in a population of the globose cactus Mammillaria magnimamma at Valle del Mezquital, Mexico

• DOI: 10.17129/botsci.2654
• Publication Date: 2021-04-03T16:02:15Z
• Authors: Alicia Callejas-C...; Carlos F. Vargas-...; Carlos Gomez-Hino...; Victor J. Arriola...; Amelia Cornejo-Ro...
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; pollinator; QK1-989; Botany; gynodioecy; germination rate; floral morphometry; 01 natural sciences; scanning electron microscopy

Background: The breeding system of Mammillaria magnimamma was initially described as hermaphroditic. However, some individuals in a natural population at Valle del Mezquital exhibited seemingly non-functional androecium.
 Objectives: To determine the M. through morphological characterization floral types.
 Study site and years: study conducted Mezquital, Mexico, during 2019 reproductive season.
 Methods: We characterized polymorphism by means scanning electron microscopy morphometric analysis 18 traits. Pollinator frequency, size number seeds, germination rate were compared between flower Results: 87.85 % plants hermaphrodites, 12.15 females with androecium, significantly smaller stamens, indehiscent anthers, malformed pollen. Female flowers shorter (14.007 ± 0.742 mm) had (1.856 0.151 nectar chambers than hermaphroditic (15.821 0.450 2.194 0.090 mm, respectively). Although pollinators visited hermaphrodites (124 visits) about twice often pistillate (60 visits), latter produced more numerous ( F 1,26 = 8.320, P 0.003) larger Hc 4.637, 0.031) seeds that also germinated faster 70.59, < 0.0001).
 Conclusions: This exhibits gynodioecious both male sterile female plants. Females produce more, higher quality which favour their maintenance population.