Functional differences among color morphs of Impatiens walleriana (Balsaminaceae)

• Main Author: Morris, Anne B.
• Format: Text
• Language: English; Spanish
• Published: Digital Commons @ University of South Florida 2005
• Subjects: Flowers > Color; Pollination by animals; CIEE Spring 2005; Iulia; Pink salmon
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tropical_ecology/372; https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/context/tropical_ecology/article/1371/viewcontent/M39_00226_Morris_Anne_Functional_differences_color_morphs_CIEE_Spring_2005.pdf

Functional differences between color morphs of Impatiens walleriana were studied in Monteverde, Costa Rica to see if they influenced the fitness of the color morphs. Nectar removal rates, nectar quantity, nectar quality, length of pollen availability, flower longevity, and seed set were compared between magenta, salmon, pink, and white color morphs. Red, purple, magenta, pink, salmon, and white cultivated Impatiens and magenta, salmon, pink, and peach I. walleriana were observed in the Monteverde Butterfly Garden to see if color preferences occur among butterflies. In addition, magenta color morphs were studied along an altitudinal gradient to see if altitude caused functional differences within a single color morph and to see if instances of nectar robbery varied on an altitudinal scale. Among I. walleriana color morphs nectar removal rates were found to be affected by nectar robbery, all morphs suffered equally from nectar robbery. Color morphs also produced similar quantities of nectar. Magenta and salmon morphs produced nectar with higher sucrose concentrations than pink and white morphs. Color morphs did not exhibit differences in the length of pollen availability, but pink and white flowers were found to live longer than magenta and salmon flowers. In terms of seed set, all flowers were found to have high occurrences of seed set despite differences in nectar removal, robbery, and quality and in flower longevity among morphs. When cultivated Impatiens were observed for removal rates, pink and white had the most nectar removed. Heliconiinae butterflies showed species specific color preferences to the cultivated Impatiens. Eueides isabella preferred pink, white and salmon colors. Heliconius hecale preferred pink and magenta flowers. Dryas iulia preferred white and salmon colors and Heliconius charitonius preferred the colors pink and salmon. When I. walleriana color morphs were observed in the butterfly garden, salmon was the morph with the least nectar removed. Two Heliconiinae butterflies showed specific ...