Pollinator limitation on reproductive success in Iris tuberosa

Photo of Iris tuberosa by G. Pellegrino

Variation in plant and floral size can have conflicting effects on pollination and fruit production in flowering plants. In a new study published in AoB PLANTS, Pellegrino measured the effect of varying pollinator visits on fruit production in order to understand pollination strategy in Iris tuberosa, and assessed the effects of plant and floral display size on pollination to understand how these factors influence reproductive success. He found that I. tuberosa was pollinated exclusively by hymenopteran species, mainly during sunny days, and that plant and floral size did not affect fruit set and pollinator attraction. Thus, the sexual reproduction of I. tuberosa is fairly limited by pollinators and not by resource limitation.