Floral Morphology in Relation to Pollination Ecology in Five Queensland Coastal Plants

Abstract

Observations of pollination by birds in Acanthus ilicifolius and Lysiana subfalcata var. maritima, hawkmoths in Clerodendrum inerme and sonneratia alba,, and bees in Sesuvium portulacastrum, are presented along with detailed descriptions of floral morphology and pollination efficiency using pollen/ovule ratios. Self fertilisation is restricted in Sesuvium, Acanthus and Clerodendrum by protandry, while the flowers of Lysiana, Sonneratia and Acanthus are morphologically incapable of automatic self-pollination. The high fruit set seen in flowers of these species suggests that these species are self-compatible. Self-compatibility in mangrove and mangrove-associated species will presumably allow some fruit set even in isolated, single plants after new habitat is colonised.