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Southern hemisphere botanical ecosystems
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 55(5)

Geographic variation in extrafloral nectaries in the ant-associated plant genus Adriana (Euphorbiaceae) and its relationship to water availability

M. A. Whalen A B and D. A. Mackay A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: molly.whalen@flinders.edu.au

Australian Journal of Botany 55(5) 568-575 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT06105
Submitted: 25 May 2005  Accepted: 8 February 2007   Published: 17 August 2007

Abstract

The relationship between geographic variation in extrafloral nectary size and climatic variation was assessed in three taxa within Adriana (Euphorbiaceae). In each taxon, there was a significant association between gland size and moisture-related climatic variables. A glasshouse experiment was conducted to examine the effect of water stress on nectary longevity, and it was found that the secretory activity of nectaries declined more rapidly on drought-stressed plants than on watered plants.


Acknowledgements

We thank G. Starr, J. Doube, K. Gascoigne and S. Marshall for technical assistance and M. Mackay for assistance with field work. We thank Dr J. Jessop at AD for providing facilities and access to herbarium material. We are also grateful to the following herbaria for providing specimens for study: BRI, CANB and PERTH. Financial support for this project was provided by the ARC Small Grants Scheme and Flinders University.


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1 This may now also be referred to as Adriana urticoides (A.Cunn.) Guymer, which is possibly an earlier name for this taxon (Foster 2003).