Growth, reproduction, and production biology of mouse-ear and king devil hawkweed in eastern South Island, New Zealand

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Abstract
Reproductive attributes of mouse-ear hawkweed (Pilosella officinarum) and king devil (Po praealta) and a non-stoloniferous hawkweed (Hieracium sp.) were compared at Cave Stream, Canterbury and in the glasshouse. Seasonal phenology, growth, and reproduction of mouse-ear and king devil populations in five sites along a broad climatic/edaphic gradient in the Mackenzie Basin, South Island, were followed during one growth period from August 1978 to April 1979. Dry matter relationships for leaf, scape and inflorescence, and Stolon growth were developed by various double sampling techniques. Mouse-ear was superior to king devil in vegetative propagation (e.g., greater number of daughter plants, better survivorship of daughters under adverse climatic conditions) and longevity, but inferior in seed production. total dry matter production, and early and late seasonal growth. A significant inverse relationship was found between Seed production and total stolon length per plant in both field and glasshouse. Reproductive processes decrease in the centre of mouse-ear patches. Removal of immature inflorescences to simulate grazing increased the number and doubled the length of stolons formed by mouse-ear but did not affect king devil. The individual plant half-hfe varied from 0.4 to 13.5 years for mouse-ear and 0.2 to 1.1 years for king devil. The agronomic value of mouse-ear and king devil in undeveloped fescue tussock grasslands is discussed.