The importance of pollinators in the evolution of Orchidaceae is reflected in the complex pollination mechanisms so characteristic of this large family. Despite of the great interest in orchid biology, diversity and pollination, the role of Lepidoptera as pollinators was underestimate. Direct observations of orchid pollination events are notoriously difficult and time consuming, especially in orchids with a deceptive pollination system where seed set is typically pollinator-limited. Here we describe a molecular approach to the study of the orchid-lepidoptera relationships based on the analysis of DNA recovered from pollinia found on lepidoptera from museum and private collection (collected between 1902 and 2002); the lepidoptera, founded with orchid pollinia, belong to the family Zygaenidae, Noctuidae and to different family of Rhopalocera. The aim of this study, therefore, was the identification of the orchid species from which the pollinia found on a lepidoptera body originated, in order to look the anatomical and biological relationships between this pollinators and orchid. We analysed a nuclear gene marker based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified DNA extracted from single pollinia for identifying the orchid species. Four out of six orchid-pollinator relationships established with this approach have not been reported previously, which highlights the value of molecular tools for the study of orchid pollination biology. The new data regard the nectarless flower of Orchis morio, Orchis mascula and Orchis pauciflora, and the nectar orchid Epipactis helleborine. We had also confirmed that Anacamptis pyramidalis and Platanthera chlorantha are pollinated by lepidoptera.
Barile, M., Cozzolino, S., DE CASTRO, O., Lucchese, F., Zilli, A. (2006). NEW INSIGHTS INTO POLLINATION OF MEDITERRANEAN TERRESTRIAL ORCHIDS BY BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. JOURNAL EUROPÄISCHER ORCHIDEEN, 38(2), 449-460.
NEW INSIGHTS INTO POLLINATION OF MEDITERRANEAN TERRESTRIAL ORCHIDS BY BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS
LUCCHESE, FERNANDO;
2006-01-01
Abstract
The importance of pollinators in the evolution of Orchidaceae is reflected in the complex pollination mechanisms so characteristic of this large family. Despite of the great interest in orchid biology, diversity and pollination, the role of Lepidoptera as pollinators was underestimate. Direct observations of orchid pollination events are notoriously difficult and time consuming, especially in orchids with a deceptive pollination system where seed set is typically pollinator-limited. Here we describe a molecular approach to the study of the orchid-lepidoptera relationships based on the analysis of DNA recovered from pollinia found on lepidoptera from museum and private collection (collected between 1902 and 2002); the lepidoptera, founded with orchid pollinia, belong to the family Zygaenidae, Noctuidae and to different family of Rhopalocera. The aim of this study, therefore, was the identification of the orchid species from which the pollinia found on a lepidoptera body originated, in order to look the anatomical and biological relationships between this pollinators and orchid. We analysed a nuclear gene marker based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified DNA extracted from single pollinia for identifying the orchid species. Four out of six orchid-pollinator relationships established with this approach have not been reported previously, which highlights the value of molecular tools for the study of orchid pollination biology. The new data regard the nectarless flower of Orchis morio, Orchis mascula and Orchis pauciflora, and the nectar orchid Epipactis helleborine. We had also confirmed that Anacamptis pyramidalis and Platanthera chlorantha are pollinated by lepidoptera.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
