Jaltomata confinis (C. V. Morton) J. L. Gentry
Guatemala
revised 5 Aug 2016  
Link to Jaltomata home page
The information on this page may be cited as a communication with
professor Thomas Mione, Central Connecticut State University, Biology Department, Copernicus Hall, 1615 Stanley Street, New Britain, CT 06050-4010 USA
Link to Jaltomata of Arizona, Mexico and Central America

Flower in pistillate phase.

Corolla 16 mm in diameter.



Spooner et al. 7045, grown as Mione 322

Photo by Thomas Mione

Flower in hermaphroditic phase

Spooner et al. 7068, grown as Mione 326

Photo by Thomas Mione


Flower in pistillate phase

Corolla 16 mm in diameter

Spooner et al. 7045, grown as Mione 322

Photo by Thomas Mione

Whole plant.

 

The ruler shown is 12 cm long

 

Spooner et al. 7068, grown as Mione 326

 

Photo by Thomas Mione

Unripe fruit partially surrounded by calyx

Spooner et al. 7068, grown as Mione 326

Photo by Thomas Mione

Ripe fruit

Mione 314

Photo by Thomas Mione

August 2002

 

Ripe fruits of Jaltomata confinis

Mione 326

Plant grown outdoors

Note that the calyx is shaped like a shallow bowl

 

Photo by Thomas Mione

Back (abaxial side) of flower.

Note how wide the leaves of this species are relative to their length.

Mione 326

 

The writing below the green "326" would say
"ruler = 12 cm" if you could see all of it.

 

Photo by Thomas Mione

 

All specimens were collected in Guatemala:

Department

locality

altitude m

habitat

date

collectors

Data Entry

Chimaltenango

at Santa Elena, above Tecpam

2500

roadside bank

18 July 1933

A. F. Skutch 447 (US)

TYPE

Huehuetenango Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, at km 311 Ruta Nacional 9 N, between Paquix and Chemal 3360 on limestone ridge covered with Juniperus standleyi, occasional 2 Aug 1959 J. H. Beaman 2992 (GH) Aug 2016

 

 

 

Specimens Photographed:

David M. Spooner et al. 7045 (grown in Connecticut, USA, as Mione 322). Guatemala, Chimaltenango: 9 km NW of Tecpán town square to microwave towers, 14 47.1 S, 91 00.8 W, 2,940 m growing among shrubs in moist organic soil in grazed upland plain. 9 October 1995. Specimens at AGUAT, BIGUA, and herbarium of T. Mione.

David M. Spooner et al. 7068 (grown in Connecticut, USA, as Mione 326). Guatemala, Huehuetenango, 6 km E of Huehuetenango to Soloma Road (9N) on road past Huito to Tuinimá, 1 km past Huito, 3,350 m, found growing under shade of tree, in area of mostly logged pine and juniper forests; plants common in area, most non-flowering, 25 October 1995. Unicate in herbarium of T. Mione.

Table 1. Pollen Quantity Among Collections, plants grown in Connecticut

Collection

 
Pollen Quantity
Sample Size
Counted By.
Date Counted
Data Entry
Spooner et al. 7045 (grown as Mione 322) Guatemala, Chimaltenango
68,438
1 flower
Elisabeth
dos Santos 2011
July 2011
Spooner et al. 7068 (grown as Mione 326) Guatemala, Huehuetenango
61,250
1 flower
Elisabeth
dos Santos 2011
July 2011

 

Miscellaneous Notes
Accession 843: The corolla is not rotate when fully open: it is infundibular or crateriform (see photos of 843 in iPhoto album). This species abundantly sets fruit in the outdoor garden in Connecticut. During the summer of 2002 I grew several accessions, and all abundantly set fruits. Ripe fruits accumulate on the ground below the plant; fruits do not remain attached for more than a day after ripening.

 




Floral Phenology

Day
2014
Time
 
Observations on one Tagged Flower. Accession 843.
Potted Plant in CCSU greenhouse.
No bagging to exclude insect visitors; no floral visitors were seen.
0
28 Sep 11:00 am flower closed Considered day zero because flowers have not yet opened for the first time. All but one flower was removed from each inflorescence for tagging.Flower bud looks like it will open tomorrow.
1
29 Sep 8:00 am pistillate Cor half way open. Anthers undehisced and filaments very short. I did not look for nectar.
  noon pistillate Cor open. Anthers undehisced and filaments very short. I could not see nectar drops.
  5 pm.
7:30 pm
pistillate Corolla closed.
2
30 Sep 8:30 & 11 am; 2:30 pm pistillate Corolla open, anthers undehisced
  5:45 pm   Corolla closed, anthers undehisced.
3
1 Oct 8:00 am pistillate Corolla beginning to open but mostly closed. Cloudy out, and I wonder if a brighter morning might trigger faster opening of the cor
  10:30 am hermaphroditic Corolla fully open (for this accession, broadly infundibular, not rotate). Stamens angle (proximal to distal) away from the style. Some anthers dehiscing, others not yet. Nectar present. 2 mm from anther to stigma.
  2:30 pm hermaphroditic Corolla fully open (for this accession, broadly infundibular, not rotate). Stamens angle (proximal to distal) away from the style. All anthers dehisced. Nectar present. 2 mm from anther to stigma.
4
2 Oct 7:30 am hermaphroditic Cor mostly closed.
  11:00 am hermaphroditic Corolla fully open (for this accession, broadly infundibular, not rotate). Stamens parallel to style. All anthers dehisced. Nectar present. 2 to 3 mm from anther to stigma.
    1:00 hermaphroditic Corolla open. Filaments parallel to style.
  4:00 & 6:15 pm   Cor closed
3 Oct 8:21 & 11:00 am; 3:30 & 6:30 pm   Corolla closed, possibly bringing anthers into contact with stigma. Closed in a way that is hard to describe, the corolla is long and straight, as if to press the stamens inward.
  4 & 5 Oct 1:00, 11:00 am, respectively   Corolla withering in place (not dropping off).
Summary

Corolla was open for four days. The flower was pistillate the first two days (filaments short, anthers closed). This flower became hermaphroditic on day three, involving rapid filament elongation in the morning and then dehiscence of anthers.

Delayed self-pollination?:
If ovary expands we can say observations were consistent with self-pollinationthat was caused by the closure of the cor at the end of the flower's life bringing the stamens inward bringing the anthers in contact with the stigma.