Could microechinate orbicules be related to the release of pollen in anemophilous and ?buzz pollination? species?

B. G. GALATI; M.M. GOTELLI; A. E. DOLINKO; SONIA ROSENFELDT

AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY

CSIRO PUBLISHING

Lugar: Collingwood; Año: 2019 vol. 67 p. 16 - 35

0067-1924

The function of orbicules has been a matter of speculation for a long time and until now, no satisfactory answer could be put forward. Two hypotheses were previously proposed that could contribute to the elucidation of their function: 1- Anemophilous and ?buzz pollination? species have microechinate orbicules and 2- Microechinate orbicules are advantageous for pollen release in both pollination modes. To test the first hypothesis, orbicule morphology of species in which the pollen is released by anther shaking (20 anemophilous and 3 with buzz-pollination) was analysed. A literature review, noting the orbicule surface type and the respective pollination mode, was carried out. Ninety-two percent of the species with microechinate orbicules are anemophilous or present ?buzz pollination?. Orbicules without spinules are present in species that lack floral traits linked to anther shaking for pollen release. To corroborate the second hypothesis, a computational simulation that reveals the electric field produced by electrostatically charged orbicules was used. Results showed that the field is increased at the tip of each orbicule spinule. Therefore, an anther loculus surface coated by pointed structures increases the repulsion force of the pollen grains. This is an advantage when pollen is released by shaking the anther and not by presentation as in other pollination modes.