The association between floral longevity and pollen removal, pollen receipt, and fruit production in flame azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum)

Floral longevity is an important feature of a plant's reproductive strategy. The goal of this study was to examine flower life span in the shrub flame azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr.) to determine if it is fixed or plastic and to evaluate its association with pollen removal and receipt. Unmanipulated flowers remained open for similar to 10 days, while hand-pollinated flowers closed earlier (similar to 7 days), indicating that these flowers are subject to pollination-induced senescence. In 2002, pollen removal was rapid (similar to 70% of pollen was removed in the first 2 h of anthesis), while female function was a slower process (pollen accumulated on stigmas for up to 4 days). Fruit set was pollen limited, as 80% of handout-crossed flowers set fruit versus 35% of naturally pollinated flowers. This is likely the result of the pollen-collecting behavior of a common solitary bee, which did not contact stigmas. In sharp contrast, 2003 was a cooler and wetter spring, few flower visitors were observed, and virtually no pollen was removed from or deposited on stigmas after 48 h. These results suggest that the flower life span of flame azalea is a result of selection for increasing the probability of pollen receipt rather than pollen dispersal.