Differences between Plants Arising from Aerial and Subterranean Seeds in the Amphicarpic Annual Cardamine chenopodifolia (Cruciferae)

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
To ascertain whether differences existed in the size, growth, biomass allocation patterns, and reproductive output of plants from aerial and subterranean seeds of an amphicarpic annual, data were obtained for plants grown in a greenhouse and arising from the 2 seed types produced by C. chenopodifolia. In this species, subterranean seeds are 6.times. as heavy as aerial seeds. Seedlings arising from subterranean seeds had more rapid root elongation and dry weight accumulation, and larger cotyledons and primary leaves than seedlings from aerial seeds. In the greenhouse, mature plants from subterranean seeds flowered earlier, produced more aerial fruits and seeds (but not subterranean fruits and seeds), and allocated more biomass to aerial reproduction than those from aerial seeds. Aerial stems (which bear aerial flowers) comprised the largest component (.apprx. 73%) of total reproduction for both plant types. Because of the characteristics of plants from subterranean seeds, the production of large subterranean seeds early in ontogeny is probably selectively advantageous in unpredictable habitats, as has been reported for other amphicarpic annuals.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: