Pollen and Pollinator Limitation of Seed Initiation in Etlingera littoralis (J. König) Giseke (Zingiberaceae) in Klong Klai Basin, Khao Nan National Park, Thailand

Napat KITTIPANANGKUL; Chatchai NGAMRIABSAKUL

Authors

Napat KITTIPANANGKUL School of Science, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80161
Chatchai NGAMRIABSAKUL School of Science, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80161

Keywords:

Pollinator, pollen limitation, Etlingera littoralis-(König) Giseke, Zingiberaceae, Trigona

Abstract

Pollen and pollinator limitation of seed initiation in Etlingera littoralis (J. König) Giseke (Zingiberaceae) in Khlong Klai Basin, Khao Nan National Park, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, was investigated using hand and open pollination in 3 stations (A, B and C). Stations A and B are located inside the National Park area, whereas station C is outside the National Park area. Stingless bees were the only pollinators observed at station C. The number of seeds initiated from the hand-pollinated flowers were compared to those of seeds initiated from open-pollinated flowers. The results showed that there was a pollen limitation in stations A (T = 2.802, Sig 2-tailed = 0.012) and B (T = 2.524, Sig 2-tailed = 0.021) on mean seeds/ovules (S/O) ratios. In station A, pollen limitation was slightly greater (mean difference = 0.547) than station B (mean difference = 0.501). In station C, pollen limitation was not significant (T = 0.410, Sig 2-tailed = 0.550) because there was small stingless bees, Trigona sp. that pollinated the flowers. However, a resource limitation in station C was found on mean ovules per flower (mean difference A,B = 9.893, mean difference A,C = 31.734 and mean difference B,C = 21.841).

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