Selection on pollen and pistil traits during pollen competition is affected by both sexual conflict and mixed mating in a self-compatible herb.

Abstract:
Although much attention has focused on the diversity of plant mating systems, only a few studies have considered the joint effects of mating system and sexual conflict in plant evolution. In mixed-mating Collinsia heterophylla, a sexual conflict over timing of stigma receptivity is proposed: pollen with a capacity to induce early onset of stigma receptivity secures paternity for early-arriving pollen (at the expense of reduced maternal seed set), whereas late onset of stigma receptivity mitigates the negative effects of early-arriving pollen. Here we investigated whether selection on pollen and pistil traits involved in sexual conflict is affected by the presence of both outcross- and self-pollen (mixed mating) during pollen competition.