We hope you have enjoyed the SRGC Forum. You can make a Paypal donation to the SRGC by clicking the above button

Author Topic: Self pollinating narcissus flowers  (Read 2276 times)

annew

  • Daff as a brush
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5420
  • Country: england
    • Dryad Nursery: Bulbs and Botanic Cards
Self pollinating narcissus flowers
« on: January 01, 2018, 03:22:43 PM »
I've just been reading the very interesting article on the inheritance of mutations in narcissus by Peter Brandham in the RHS yearbook. There is one particular part that puzzles me. He says 'The genus is known to be almost completely self-incompatible..'
I'm pretty sure that I've had plenty of seeds off flowers of several different divisions that had been 'selfed' Sometimes I only had one bulb of a particular plant so had no choice. Also, some flowers eg of the Apodanthi seem to be designed to self-pollinate with the stamens and style close together within the tube.
So what is happening here? Are the selfed plants producing seeds by apomixis?
How 'almost completely' is the genus self-incompatible?
MINIONS! I need more minions!
Anne Wright, Dryad Nursery, Yorkshire, England

www.dryad-home.co.uk

Maggi Young

  • Forum Dogsbody
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 44766
  • Country: scotland
  • "There's often a clue"
    • International Rock Gardener e-magazine
Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

Editor: International Rock Gardener e-magazine

Maggi Young

  • Forum Dogsbody
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 44766
  • Country: scotland
  • "There's often a clue"
    • International Rock Gardener e-magazine
Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

Editor: International Rock Gardener e-magazine

annew

  • Daff as a brush
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5420
  • Country: england
    • Dryad Nursery: Bulbs and Botanic Cards
Re: Self pollinating narcissus flowers
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2018, 07:23:11 PM »
Thank you, Maggi. The pdf in the last link is excellent. Prof Theo gives the case for hybridisers for whom even a couple of seeds from a cross are welcome!
MINIONS! I need more minions!
Anne Wright, Dryad Nursery, Yorkshire, England

www.dryad-home.co.uk

Ian Y

  • Bulb Despot
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2128
  • Country: scotland
  • Why grow one bulb when you can grow two:-))
    • Direct link to the Bulb Log SRGC
Re: Self pollinating narcissus flowers
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2018, 02:13:20 PM »
I have also had seed set on Narcissus and other bulbs often described as not self compatible.

Ideally Narcissus (and others) are most fertile when cross pollinated by another clone and there are mechanisms within the structure of the flower to inhibit self pollination - commonly the stigma is receptive before the pollen is ripe, or the stigma and anthers are at different levels. I believe that the inhibitor is often on the stigmatic surface which  if no cross pollination occurs  breaks down as it ages allowing the flower to be pollinated by its own pollen.
Ian Young, Aberdeen North East Scotland   - 
The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.
https://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/index.php?log=bulb

 


Scottish Rock Garden Club is a Charity registered with Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR): SC000942
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal