Chin J Plant Ecol ›› 2010, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (8): 966-972.DOI: 10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.08.009

Special Issue: 入侵生态学

• Research Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Reproductive traits associated with invasiveness in Coreopsis lanceolata

ZENG Jian-Jun1,2,*(), XIAO Yi-An2, SUN Min1,**()   

  1. 1School of Life Sciences, Key Laboratory of Eco-environment in Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
    2School of Life Sciences, Jinggangshan University, Ji’an, Jiangxi 343009, China
  • Received:2010-03-11 Accepted:2010-05-26 Online:2010-03-11 Published:2010-09-28
  • Contact: SUN Min

Abstract:

Aims The invasive plant Coreopsis lanceolata can reproduce sexually and clonally, but the relative importance of these remains largely unknown. Our objective was to determine if reproductive characteristics affect the invasiveness of C. lanceolata.

Methods We observed the flowering dynamics of inflorescence, self-compatibility, germination traits of seed and clonal reproductive traits of C. lanceolata.

Important findings Most C. lanceolata flowered and fruited between April and November. The florescence of a single capitulum persisted approximately 5 to 6 days, and the fruits matured after 18 days. Bagged capitula showed there were no seed set in single capitulum, and they were geitonogamous, which indicated self-incompatibility. The pollen-ovule (P/O) ratio was 103 549.40 ± 7 162.44. There was high pollen viability during flowering, and pollinator movement ensured endogamy, which improved the rate of out-crossing. Under natural conditions, the germination percentage is >50%, and germination occurs within 2-3 days. Coreopsis lanceolata has strong asexual capacity; there were many phalanx ramets from roots during the growing season, and the guerrilla ramets only occurred beginning in the last ten days of August, which is beneficial to C. lanceolata in excluding other species and forming mono-culture populations. These results suggest that the invasiveness of C. lanceolata is closely related to its reproductive traits.

Key words: alien invasive plant, breeding system, Coreopsis lanceolata, reproductive traits