Volatile production by buds and corollas of two sympatric, confamilial plants, Ipomopsis aggregata and Polemonium foliosissimum.

We used solid-phase microextraction of headspace samples followed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify and quantify the major volatile compounds produced by the buds and corollas of Ipomopsis aggregata (Polemoniaceae), and we compared them to a sympatric, confamilial plant species, Polemonium foliosissimum. The two species have distinct floral morphologies and pollinators, but share a common predispersal seed predator that oviposits under the calyces of buds. Ipomopsis aggregata buds emitted fewer compounds than the corollas. The buds of I. aggregata were dominated by alpha-pinene and, to a lesser extent, beta-pinene. The corollas of I. aggregata emitted a mixture of 10 compounds. Like the buds, I. aggregata corollas produced relatively high concentrations of alpha-pinene as well as caryophyllene. In addition, the emission of four terpenoids, three esters, and one ketone added to the volatile bouquet of the corollas. Polemonium foliosissimum buds also emitted fewer compounds than the corollas. The buds of P. foliosissimum were dominated by beta-pinene and, to a lesser extent, alpha-pinene. The corollas of P. foliosissimum were also dominated by beta-pinene along with three terpenoids, three alcohols, one ester, and two aldehydes. Comparing I. aggregata and P. foliosissimum, bud samples from both species produced considerable amounts of alpha- and beta-pinene. Ipomopsis aggregata emitted more alpha-pinene than beta-pinene, while P. foliosissimum emitted more beta-pinene. The corollas of the two species, however, differed in their volatile bouquet. The partition of volatiles between I. aggregata and P. foliosissimum buds and corollas and differences in volatile production between I. aggregata and P. foliosissimum are consistent with selection pressures exerted by organisms interacting with these plants.