Sex expression and reproductive biology in a tree species, Fraxinus excelsior L.
We investigated Fraxinus excelsior breeding system using field data collected in a natural population and in a seed orchard. First, we attested functional trioecy (co-occurrence of males, hermaphrodites and females), with males producing pollen, hermaphrodites producing both pollen and seeds simultaneously, and females producing seeds. Second, we found that the reproductive system of F. excelsior was not labile, as sex expression seemed to be stable through time. Third, gender is genetically determined since different trees belonging to the same clone in the orchard exhibit similar sexual phenotypes.
Laboratoire Écologie, Systématique et Évolution, Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay cedex, France. Electronic address: Beatrice.Albert@u-psud.fr.
Béatrice
B
Albert
Marie-Élise
MÉ
Morand-Prieur
Stéphanie
S
Brachet
Pierre-Henri
PH
Gouyon
Nathalie
N
Frascaria-Lacoste
Christian
C
Raquin
D035264:Flowers / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D031661:Fraxinus / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D005838:Genotype; D010641:Phenotype; D011058:Pollen; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014197:Trees / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology
Fraxinus excelsior; Oleaceae; Plant breeding system; Système de reproduction; Trioecy; Trioécie