被子植物豐富的花部結構式樣為研究自然選擇中適應性進化問題提供了理想的材料。傳粉者的可得性是影響植物有性繁殖成功的一個重要因素，與傳粉者行為相耦合的植物花部特徵及其進化機制能夠體現出其繁育系統對特定生態環境的適應。喜馬拉雅-橫斷山區是世界高山植物多樣性最豐富的區域之一，擁有許多特有植物類群，在嚴酷多變的生態條件下它們表現出多樣化的繁殖策略以維持種群的生存和發展。然而，目前對該地區特有植物的繁育特性及其對高山環境適應機制的研究相對匱乏。
中國科學院昆明植物研究所生物多樣性與生物地理學重點實驗室艾紅蓮博士和周偉博士，在王紅研究員和李德銖研究員指導下，選取喜馬拉雅-橫斷山特有植物雞肉參（Incarvillea mairei）為研究對象，採用傳粉生物學與分子標記相結合的方法，深入研究了其在高山環境下的繁殖策略。研究發現，雞肉參自交高度親和的繁育系統、花壽命的延長、柱頭可授性和花粉活力較長的持續時間，是對高山環境傳粉者限制的適應。該植物特有的花部結構，如雌雄異位和敏感柱頭的閉合有效避免了自交，並促進異交的發生。因此，異交為主的混合交配系統增強了雞肉參對高山環境的適應能力。雞肉參花部敏感柱頭和花葯刺狀結構與傳粉者訪花行為相互配合，花粉流輸送過程採用「全或無」（all or nothing）的對策，最大限度的提高花粉輸出與輸入效率，實現較高的雌雄適合度。研究不僅證實了雞肉參高效率的傳粉機制，同時也揭示了特定環境下植物繁殖策略的多樣化。
上述研究成果以The reproductive strategy of a pollinator-limited Himalayan plant， Incarvillea mairei (Bignoniaceae)為題於12月1日發表在國際植物學主流刊物BMC Plant Biology 上。
該研究得到了中國科學院重點部署項目、科技部重大研究計劃和國家青年科學基金支持。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦的英文摘要
BMC Plant Biology doi:10.1186/1471-2229-13-195
The reproductive strategy of a pollinator-limited Himalayan plant， Incarvillea mairei (Bignoniaceae)
Honglian Ai1， Wei Zhou12， Kun Xu3， Hong Wang1* and Dezhu Li12*
Background
Plants may adapt to alpine habitats by specialization in the reproductive strategy and functional aspects of their flowers and pollination systems. Alpine habitats reduce the opportunities for cross-pollination in a relatively high proportion of alpine plant species， and self-pollination may be favored in these adverse conditions. Here， we investigated the mating system and pollination of Incarvillea mairei， a perennial Himalayan herb typically found at altitudes between 3000 and 4500 m.
Results
Analyses of floral morphology， observation of plant-pollinator interactions， and hand pollination experiments were conducted in three natural populations. Outcrossing rates and effective numbers of pollen donors were assessed in 45 open-pollinated families by using progeny analysis based on seven microsatellite markers. Incarvillea mairei displayed a set of apparently specialized floral traits， the stigma is sensitive to touch and close immediately and its reopening allows a second opportunity for the receipt of pollen. The species is fully self-compatible but employs a predominantly outcrossing mating system according to parentage analysis (tm>0.9). Fruit set was low (26.3%)， whereas seed set was high (67.2%)， indicating that this species suffers pollinator limitation. Its main effective pollinator was Halictus sp.， and visitation frequency was low.
Conclusions
Floral features such as having a sensitive stigma and anther-prongs， in conjunction with pollinator behavior， function together contributing to a set of unique reproductive adaptations that enhance outcrossing success. The increased floral longevity and high pollination efficiency operated as compensatory mechanisms to counteract low pollinator visitation frequency.