Reproductive Ecology of Asystasia Gangetica Anderson Acanthacea Boerhavia diffusa L and Boerhavia Erecta l Nyctaginaceae

Abstract

newline ABSTRACT newline newlineAsystasia gangetica is a fast growing low ground perennial prostrate clambering newlineglabrous weedy herb with a matand#8208;forming habit. This species is represented by two newlinesubspecies in the study area, alba and micrantha of which the former is most common newlinewhile the latter is very rare. The work reported related to the subsp. alba only unless newlineotherwise specified. The plant is hermaphroditic, prominently protandrous, selfand#8208; newlinecompatible, selfand#8208;pollinating, facultatively xenogamous, melittophilous but also newlinepsychophilous. Both subspecies represent phaulopsoid filament curtain type in which the newlinedecurrent filaments form a barrier to the nectar. Floral rewards for pollinators include newlinenectar and pollen, both have several essential and nonand#8208;essential amino acids and also newlineproteins. The nectar is sucroseand#8208;rich with high sugar concentration. The characters of newlineexplosive fruit dehiscence and nonand#8208;dormant seeds enable the plant to produce several newlinebatches of plants in the same growing season. Further, the seeds migrate to new newlinehabitats through rain water. Dual modes of reproduction and flexible facultative newlinexenogamous mating system ensure the plant for the formation of huge populations newlinewithin a short time even in the absence of its pollinators and enables it as a successful newlineinvasive weed. newline newlineB. diffusa and B. erecta occur common and grow well displaying vegetative, newlineflowering and fruiting phases either simultaneously or alternately throughout the year in newlinevarious habitats. In both species, the flowers open at dawn by unfolding the petaloid newlineperianth during which the stamens with dehisced anthers, style and stigma with newlinereceptive state gradually uncoil to become erect; in this process, autogamous selfand#8208; newlinepollination occurs. The flowers that failed to selfand#8208; or crossand#8208;pollinate autonomously during newlinethe process of anthesis or by