Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2009, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (05): 546-555.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-3466.2009.05.004

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Variation in Types of Flowers of Ficus awkeotsang and Related Statistical Analysis

Wenshan Wu*, Youling Chen, Lina Fang   

  1. College of Life Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350108, China
  • Received:2009-03-11 Revised:2009-06-25 Online:2009-09-01 Published:2009-09-01
  • Contact: Wenshan Wu

Abstract: This paper reports the varied flowers in syconia of Ficus awkeotsang Makino. We used anatomic observation and statistical analysis to analyze the variation in female and male flowers, mutation rate of different strains and number of varied flowers per syconia in syconia from 24 female and 16 male strains. We also discuss the relation between flower variation and pollinating wasp activity or yield of F. awkeotsang by observing flower development. The results revealed 2 types of flowers in morphology: (A) an umbrella inflorescence shape and (B) solitary. The varied flowers in female syconia grew in the female flower area and degenerated flower area, with female, female degradation or hermaphrodite degradation. The varied flowers in male syconia grew in the gall flower area with 95.68% male structure and 4.32% female structure. The A type varied flowers with umbrella-inflorescence shape in female syconia affected pollination by fig wasps in normal female flowers, required more nutrients and growth space, and affected growth and development of normal female flowers. With a large number of type A flowers, unpollinated female syconia show delayed litter fall or hanging on the trees and loss of nutrients. Syconia of TH6, T7, W13, LY8, RY20 and DYZ106 of female strains showed increased type A flowers that may have an effect on yield. Because of their small amount, simple structure or late maturing, other types of varied flowers had no significant effect on fig-wasp pollination, oviposition or development, or maturation of syconia. The syconia mutation rate of plants formed by the reproductive mode of cutting seedlings was higher than that of seedlings in either female strains or male strains. Research into varied flowers has significance for breeding in terms of high yield, quality of the F. awkeotsang strain and its cultivation and extension.