The importance of flowers with four styles in the maintenance of females among hermaphrodites in Silene vulgaris.

Abstract

Polymorphisms are present in all populations. At times these polymorphisms result in greater variation and may increase the fitness of the species. From data collected in Cheboygan County, Michigan during July, 1993, I show that the female plant of the gynodioecious Silene vulgaris had a higher proportion of an infrequent polymorphism, a fourth style on some flowers. These four-styled flowers received more pollen than three-styled flowers and also exhibited a higher percentage of fruit set. The importance of the four-styled polymorphism in Silene vulgaris is unknown. However, the higher proportion of four-styled flowers in females may be yet another possible explanation of the maintenance of female plants in a mostly hermaphroditic population.