Maintenance mechanisms on unique sex expression of Zanthoxylum ailanthoides (Rutaceae) and their evolution

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 23770100
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Biodiversity/Systematics
• Research Institution: Kyoto University (2013-2014); The Museum of Nature and Human Activities, Hyogo (2011-2012)
• Principal Investigator: FUSE Shizuka 京都大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 助教 (30344386)
• Project Period (FY): 2011-04-28 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 雄性両全性異株 / 性表現 / 進化 / カラスザンショウ / イヌザンショウ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Flowering phenology, pollen fertility and pollinators of six native populations of Zanthoxylum ailanthoides (Rutaceae) were investigated in this study. As the results, it was turned out that this species is functionally androdioecious with only distinct male and female flowers in bisexual individuals. This type of functional androdioecium is the fifth report among the angiosperms. Furthermore the inflorescences of the bisexual individuals proved to shift from the male to female stages via sterile stage in about two weeks. These findings may provide important basis for better understandings of the evolution of maintenance mechanisms of plant sex expression.

Free Research Field

植物分類学