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

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.

Keywords

• anemochory
• ballistochory
• facultative autogamy
• hydrochory
• melittophily
• merremia tridentata
• psychophily
• thripsophily.