Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

Vol.15, Issue 02, 2009; Page No.(235-239)

REPRODUCTIVE ECOLOGY OF IMPATIENS CAMPANULATA WIGHT-A RARE AND ENDEMIC BALSAM OF SOUTHERN WESTERN GHATS

S.K. Kulloli, R. Ramasubbu, A.K. Sreekala and A.G. Pandurangan

Abstract

A study on floral phenology, foraging behaviour of pollinators, breeding system and post pollination events of Impatiens companulata Wight, of the family Balsaminaceae has been made. The flowering phase is extended up to 180 days and the pollen-ovule ratio calculated as 2026:1. Flowers offer pollen and nectar to the visitors, which include honeybee, Trigona sp., hawk moths and butterflies. It chiefly reproduced by means of cross-pollination where the fruit production was only 30%. Manual pollinations showed that the species permits geitonogamous and xenogamous pollination. The percentage of fruit-set in manually pollinated flowers is higher than that resulting from open-pollination, which indicates that some external agents are required for successful pollination. The seed germination was limited to 10%, which may be one of the reasons for its restricted distribution.

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