Skip to main content
Log in

Sex expression in EgyptianThymelaea hirsuta (Thymelaeaceae) populations

  • Published:
Plant Systematics and Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The sex expression inThymelaea hirsuta was assessed in five habitats in the western Mediterranean desert of Egypt. The survey over two main flowering periods indicated that the sexual expression of this plant is complex and labile. Beside the dioecious male and female states, five monoecious states were detected. The dioecious states are more abundant and less labile. There is a clear shift from monoecious towards dioecious states and in general favour of males from the first (late autumn) to the second (late winter) flowering period. These results are discussed in view of the adaptive theories and evolution.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdel-Razik, M. S., 1980: A study of productivity and nutrient turn-over of some common plant species in the Western Mediterranean Desert of Northern Egypt. — Ph.D. Thesis, Bot. Dept., Fac. Sci. Alexandria University.

  • Allen, S. E., Grimshaw, H. M., Parkinson, J. A., Quarmby, C., 1974: Chemical analysis of ecological materials. — London: Blackwell Scientific Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bawa, K. S., 1980: Evolution of dioecy in flowering plants. — Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst.11: 15–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1981: Evolution of sexual systems in flowering plants. — Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard.68: 254–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Betremieux, R., 1948: Traité de chimie vegetale. Publié sous la direction de Brunel, Id. p. 342 (in Espiau, Pet Larguier, M. 1967).

  • Denelle, N., Dommeé, B., Bompar, J. L., 1987: Changements de sexe et polymorphisme sexual chezThymelaea hirsuta (L.)Endl. (Thymelaeaceae). — Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris304: 407–411.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dommeé, B., Bompar, J. L., Denelle, N., 1990: Sexual tetramorphism inThymelaea hirsuta (Thymelaeaceae): evidence of the pathway from heterodichogamy to dioecy at the infraspecific level. — Amer. J. Bot.77: 1449–1462.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1984: Proportions des sexes dans deux populations francaises deThymelaea hirsuta (L.)Endl. — Bull. Soc. Bot. France131: 201–205.

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Ghonemy, A. A., Shaltout, K., Valentine, W., Wallace, A., 1977: Distributional pattern ofThymelaea hirsuta (L.)Endl. and associated species along the Mediterranean coast of Egypt. — Bot. Gaz.138: 479–489.

    Google Scholar 

  • Emberger, L., 1955: Une classification biogéographiques des climats. — Recueil de Travaux de Laboratoires de Botanique, Geologie et Zoologie, Fac. Sci. Univ. Montpellier7: 3–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freeman, D. C., Harper, K. T., Charnov, E. L., 1980: Sex change in plants: old and new observations and new hypotheses. — Oecologia47: 222–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1976: Differential resources utilization by the sex of dioecious plants. — Science193: 597–599.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1981: Influence of environment on the floral sex ratio of monoecious plants. — Evolution35: 194–197.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heslop-Harrison, J., 1957: The experimental modification of sex expression in flowering plants. — Biol. Rev. (Cambridge)32: 38–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalmus, H., Smith, C. A. B., 1960: Evolutionary origin of sexual differentiation and the sex ratio. — Nature186: 1004–1006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kit Tan, 1980: Studies in theThymelaeaceae. II. A revision of the genusThymelaea. — Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinburgh38: 189–246.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd, D. G., 1980: The distribution of gender in four angiosperm species illustrating two evolutionary pathways to dioecy. — Evolution34: 123–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1977: Secondary sex characters in seed plants. — Bot. Rev.43: 177–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1984: Modification of the gender of seed plants in varying conditions. — Evol. Biol.17: 255–338.

    Google Scholar 

  • McArther, E. D., 1977: Environmentally induced changes of sex expression inAtriplex canescens. — Heredity38: 97–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meigs, P., 1973: World distribution of coastal deserts. — InDavis, H. K., Amiran, Wilson, A. Z., (Eds.): Coastal desert: their natural and human environments, pp. 3–13. — Arizona: University of Arizona Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaltout, K. H., 1987: Pattern, phenology and sex ratio of EgyptianThymelaea hirsuta populations. — Vegetatio72: 67–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, 1988: Structure and standing crop of EgyptianThymelaea hirsuta populations. — Vegetatio74: 67–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waser, N. M., 1984: Sex ratio variation in populations of a dioecious desert perennialSimmondsia chinensis. — Oikos42: 343–348.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, C. N., Thomas, R. L., 1970: Observations on sex differentiation in the oil palm,Elaeis guineensis L. — Ann. Bot.34: 957–963.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, M. F., 1983: Plant reproductive ecology. — New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zohary, M., 1972: Flora Palaestina. — The Israel Academy of sciences and humanities.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shaltout, K.H., El-Keblawy, A.A. Sex expression in EgyptianThymelaea hirsuta (Thymelaeaceae) populations. Pl Syst Evol 181, 133–141 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00937440

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00937440

Key words

Navigation