Pollination ecology of Merremia tridentata (L.) Hallier f. (Convolvulaceae)

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Published: Feb 26, 2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.3252.10.2.11339-11347
Keywords:
Anemochory, ballistochory, facultative autogamy, hydrochory, melittophily, Merremia tridentata, psychophily, thripsophily.

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G. Lakshminarayana
Department of Environmental Sciences, Gayathri Vidya Parishad College for Degree & P.G. Courses (Autonomous), M.V.P. Colony, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 530017, India
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4994-0875
A.J. Solomon Raju
Department of Environmental Sciences, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 530003, India
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0028-2621

Abstract

Merremia tridentata is a twining and prostrate herb.  The flowers are campanulate, bisexual, weakly protandrous, self-compatible and facultative autogamous.  The forager guilds indicate that thripsophily, melittophily and psychophily are functional pollination syndromes.  Ballistichory, anemochory and hydrochory are the seed dispersal modes.  Seeds germinate as soon as they reach the ground if the soil has sufficient moisture or else they remain dormant and germinate during the rainy season.  Such seed dispersal modes and flexible germination responses enable the plant to invade and colonize new areas.  Further, the plant with perennial woody root stock stays alive during the dry season, sprouts back to life during the rainy season to re-start its life cycle.  The dual modes of regeneration enable the plant to form extensive herbaceous cover and bind the soil effectively.  Therefore, the plant is an important soil binder and useful at controlling soil erosion. 

Article Details

Issue
Vol. 10 No. 2 (2018)
Section
Short Communications

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Author Biographies

G. Lakshminarayana, Department of Environmental Sciences, Gayathri Vidya Parishad College for Degree & P.G. Courses (Autonomous), M.V.P. Colony, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 530017, India

G. LAKSHMINARAYANA has been awarded Ph.D. under Prof. A.J. Solomon Raju. He is currently working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences, Gayathri Vidya Parishad College for Degree & P.G. Courses (Autonomous), M.V.P. Colony, Visakhapatnam.  He has published six research papers.

A.J. Solomon Raju, Department of Environmental Sciences, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 530003, India

Dr. Aluri Jacob Solomon Raju is a Professor of Environmental Sciences in Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, India. He was the Head of the Department during 2009-2012. He was the Visiting Professor of University of Colima, Mexico. He was a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Akron, USA for a period of two years. He has conducted extensive field work in Olympic Mountains, Colorado Rocky Mountains, Siskiyu Mountains, Yosemite National Park, Yellostone National Park and Grand Teton Mountains in connection with reproductive biology of an arctic-alpine genus Pedicularis and its conservation and management aspects. Further, he has also conducted field research in Mexico. He has published more than 300 research papers, participated and presented scores of research papers at more than 50 national and more than 30 International conferences held in India and abroad. He visited USA, Canada, UK, Brazil, Paraguay, Italy, Mexico, France, Germany, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Ethiopia and Tanzania. In recognition of his superior record of scholarship, he was awarded Distinguished Achievement Award by the University of Akron, USA. He is also the recipient of Best Research Award and Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Best Academician Award of Andhra University, Loyola Environmental Award from Loyola College, Chennai and Andhra Pradesh Scientist Award from Andhra Pradesh Council of Science & Technology, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh. He successfully completed a number of major research projects on the Eastern Ghats Forests funded by ICAR, UGC, DST, CSIR, DBT and MoEF. He was the Expert member of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Govt. of India in sanctioning the research projects. He has also worked on biodiesel plants such as Pongamia and Jatropha and work on these plants laid foundation for others to initiate work in commercial lines. He has also published ten books on various subjects published by national and international publishers. Twenty Ph.Ds and 10 M.Phils were awarded under his guidance. Further, he is currently serving as a resource person for All India Radio, TV Channels, Consultant for issues relating to conservation biology and environment. Further, he is currently operating All India Coordinated Research Project on the endangered species of Eastern Ghats funded by MoEF, on reproductive ecology of Coringa Mangrove Forest funded by MoEF and on reproductive ecology of rare plants of Eastern Ghats funded by CSIR, New Delhi. He is an expert-cum-reviewer for scores of scientific journals published by Elsevier, Springer publishers, Indian Publishers, US Publishers and African Publishers. He is the Chief Editor of Advances in Pollen-Spore Research and Guest Editor of Journal of Palynology.

 

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