Sexual, apomictic and mixed populations in Handroanthus ochraceus (Bignoniaceae) polyploid complex

Some tropical Bignoniaceae form sporophytic apomictic polyploid complexes are similar to better studied temperate plants. Handroanthus ochraceus is a widely distributed Neotropical savanna tree with both monoembryonic/self-sterile, and polyembryonic/apomictic and self-fertile populations, but lacking chromosome number and morphological comparative studies. We tested if monoembryonic/non-apomictic and polyembryonic/apomictic populations differed in ploidy and morphological features, as a basis to understand evolution and biogeography of these plants. Chromosome number and embryo number per seed were investigated, and uni- and multivariate analyses of flower and leaf morphology were done for five populations of H. ochraceus. We found two pure monoembryonic diploid (2n = 40), and one pure polyembryonic (62–94% of polyembryonic seeds) tetraploid population (2n = 80). One of the diploid populations presented only one individual with 3.2% polyembryonic seeds and was considered a non-apomictic population. Another population showed predominantly polyembryonic (27–66% of polyembryonic seeds) tetraploid individuals, but one diploid individual with 2% of polyembryonic seeds, and was considered a mixed apomictic and non-apomictic population. Morphological analyses confirmed breeding system clusters, and that stigma width, as well as pollen grain area, was consistently larger in polyembryonic populations. Polyploid plants showed larger cells, as well as larger organs and other distinctive features, which will be useful to identify apomictic populations and to future taxonomic discussions. The species can be considered an agamic complex with apomixis associated with neopolyploidy. This trend is also found in other tropical sporophytic apomictics, contrasting with the usual reports linking diploidy or paleopolyploidy to this kind of apomictics.