Andromonoecy and Floral Protandry of Oenanthe aquatica (Apiaceae)

The paper studies the synflorescence structure and flowering biology of the biennial monocarpic wetland plant Oenanthe aquatica. This species has a set of adaptations to prevent self-pollination, including generation of a pseudanthium, andromonoecy, intra- and interfloral protandry, and a specific sequence of flowering within its umbels. The synflorescence of O. aquatica is a panicle of umbels. The size of perfect and male flowers consistently decreases as the order of synflorescence axes grows. The size-related differences between perfect and staminate flowers on axes of the same branching order consist only in the length of their calyx abaxial teeth, corolla diameter, width of abaxial petals, length and width of anthers, and length and height of stylopodium. We have identified two arrangements of staminate flowers in O. aquatica: male flowers are located at the periphery or in the center of the umbellets. The share of staminate flowers in umbels increases as an axis order grows. The female phase of flowers on axes of one order occurs simultaneously within entire synflorescences with the male phase of flowers on axes of the next order, which might mean geitonogamy. Perfect flowers live for five to seven days, while staminate flowers function for no more than one day. The article contains 4 Figures, 2 Tables, 32 References. The Authors declare no conflict of interest.

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