Reproductive behaviour of natural populations of meadow salsify (Tragopogon pratensis)
1996
Qi, M. | Upadhyaya, M.K. | Turkington, R.
The reproductive characteristics of natural populations of meadow salsify were monitored between May 1990 and October 1991. Plants in even-aged populations did not produce seeds prior to the second winter and plants in uneven-aged populations died after seed production suggesting that meadow salsify at this site is a monocarpic perennial and not a true biennial. Delayed seed production may enhance abundance of this species by increasing the size of its bud bank. Plants of uneven-aged populations flowered over a range of root crown diameters; the percentage of plants bearing flowers increased with increasing root crown diameters. The minimum root crown diameter at which plants flowered in 1990 and 1991 was 0.2 and 0.6 cm respectively demonstrating that factor(s) other than plant size regulate flowering in this species. Seed production ranged between 100 to 850 seeds per plant. Total number of flower heads per plant and florets per plant were positively correlated with each other and with the root crown diameter. Root crown diameter is, therefore, a good indicator of potential fecundity in meadow salsify. Greater seed production by larger plants may compensate, at least in part, for the high juvenile mortality and longer generation time in this species. The results suggest that prolific seed production and long vegetative survival are important strategies in the maintenance of meadow salsify populations.
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