Reproductive biology studies help us to understand how species’ reproductive characters contribute to reproductive success and thus population survival but cost considerable time and effort to conduct under field conditions. We investigated the reproductive system of natural populations of Scrophularia sambucifolia and S. grandiflora, two western Mediterranean endemics with large, colorful flowers that undergo mixed bird–insect pollination. We evaluated: (1) the importance of pollinators in the sexual reproduction of the two species, determining levels of fruit and seed set; (2) the species’ compatibility systems (self-compatible or self-incompatible); (3) the role of protogyny in their mating systems; and (4) the occurrence of unequal seed set along the inflorescence. A spontaneous self-pollination test demonstrated that floral protogyny minimizes autogamy and that pollinators are needed to ensure sexual reproduction. A hand-geitonogamous pollination test revealed that both species (especially S. grandiflora) are self-compatible and that the potential for geitonogamy extends throughout the flowering period but decreases as inflorescences age. Finally, seed set was similar in all whorls of the inflorescence of both species, possibly reflecting inflorescence architecture.

生殖生物学研究帮助我们了解物种的生殖特征如何促进生殖成功，从而促进种群生存，但需要花费大量时间和精力在田间条件下进行。我们调查了玄参和大花玄参的自然种群的生殖系统，是地中海西部的两种特有物种，它们的花朵开着五颜六色的大花，经过鸟类和昆虫的混合授粉。我们评估：（1）传粉媒介在两个物种有性繁殖中的重要性，确定果实和结实水平；（2）物种的相容系统（自相容或自相容）；（3）原型在其交配系统中的作用；（4）花序中结实种子不等的发生。自发的自花传粉试验表明，花性单生可以最大程度地减少自生配子，并且需要传粉媒介以确保有性繁殖。一次手工异位授粉试验表明，这两个物种（特别是大花S. grandiflora）是自相容的，并且在整个开花期，地花同卵生殖的潜力会扩展，但随着花序的衰老而降低。最后，在两个物种的所有花序螺纹中，种子集相似，可能反映了花序结构。