Plasticity and Establishment in Euphrasia

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Several species of Euphrasia were cultivated in the presence of chosen hosts and a number of characters measured and analysed. Establishment increased the size and vigour of the parasite to a degree depending on the host species, Trifolium repens and Plantago coronopus being the most effective and Festuca ovina and Potentilla erecta the least. Hostless plants often survived and set seed but remained much smaller. The detailed effects on individual characters depended on the precise date of establishment. Flower measurements were slightly increased by establishment in the trial, but showed far greater plasticity from year to year in the wild. The measurement of plasticity is discussed and some suggestions made for the experimental analysis of its adaptive significance.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: