Investigating pollination strategies in disturbed habitats: the case of the narrow-endemic toadflax Linaria tonzigii (Plantaginaceae) on mountain screes

Abstract Plant mating systems may reflect an adaptation to a habitat type, with self-pollination being potentially common in unstable and disturbed conditions. We investigated the reproductive ecology of Alpine, narrow-range toadflax, Linaria tonzigii Lona (Plantaginaceae), occurring steep dynamic mountain screes. explored self-compatibility spontaneous autogamy, seed viability, daily nectar production, pollinator behaviour pollen transfer wild populations, using hand pollination treatments, quantification volume, viability Tetrazolium assay, active sampling video recordings, UV-bright dust for substitution. After ex novo sequencing several genetic regions L. , we performed multi-marker phylogenetic analysis 140 species tracked occurrence trait. Our results showed that this is self-compatible, pollinated mostly via autogamy pollinator-mediated geitonogamy, self-pollinated seeds are as viable cross-pollinated ones. Selfing could be due rarity because, despite studied providing high bees, moths small beetles infrequently visited its flowers sparsely vegetated scree slopes. In addition, preliminary survey low haplotype diversity study plant. Moreover, phylogeny shows scattered tree, suggesting adaptive nature trait genus . This supports theories prevalence selfing environments unfavourable cross-pollination, particularly where pollinators rare, such perturbed, poorly high-elevation habitats.