HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH SEARCH RESULT		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

What's this?

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (21) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Forman, J. Articles by Kesseli, R. V. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Forman, J. Articles by Kesseli, R. V. Agricola Articles by Forman, J. Articles by Kesseli, R. V. Social Bookmarking                            What's this?

Sexual reproduction in the invasive species Fallopia japonica (Polygonaceae)¹

Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts–Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts 02125 USA

Fallopia japonica (Polygonaceae) is an invasive perennial plant, well known in North America for its ability to spread aggressively via vegetative reproduction. The contribution of sexual reproduction to the distribution of this species is not well documented, and as a result, F. japonica is treated solely as a clonal species. To investigate the role of sexual reproduction in this species, germination experiments were conducted using seed collected from 29 parents from field sites in Massachusetts and from four greenhouse-grown cultivars. Results showed that wild F. japonica produce large quantities of seed that typically have high germinability. This seed is viable whether sown immediately after collection or subjected to various conditions during the winter season and germinated the following spring. Cultivars of F. japonica also produce viable seed and can thus contribute to the invasiveness of this species. In addition, wild F. japonica seedlings were observed at several field sites, with several of these seedlings surviving the winter and resprouting the following spring. That sexual reproduction and seedling survival occur in the wild has strong implications for the development of management strategies for this species.

Key Words: Fallopia japonica • germination • Japanese knotweed • Polygonaceae • Polygonum cuspidatum • Reynoutria japonica • sexual reproduction

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Facebook    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. Day, J. Rall, S. McIntyre, and C. Terrance Japanese Knotweed Composting Feasibility Study, Delaware County (New York) Ecological Rest., January 1, 2009; 27(4): 377 - 379. [PDF]

				C. L. Richards, R. L. Walls, J. P. Bailey, R. Parameswaran, T. George, and M. Pigliucci Plasticity in salt tolerance traits allows for invasion of novel habitat by Japanese knotweed s. l. (Fallopia japonica and F.xbohemica, Polygonaceae) Am. J. Botany, August 1, 2008; 95(8): 931 - 942. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Gammon, J. L. Grimsby, D. Tsirelson, and R. Kesseli Molecular and morphological evidence reveals introgression in swarms of the invasive taxa Fallopia japonica, F. sachalinensis, and F. xbohemica (Polygonaceae) in the United States Am. J. Botany, June 1, 2007; 94(6): 948 - 956. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. L. Grimsby, D. Tsirelson, M. A. Gammon, and R. Kesseli Genetic diversity and clonal vs. sexual reproduction in Fallopia spp. (Polygonaceae) Am. J. Botany, June 1, 2007; 94(6): 957 - 964. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. J. Siemens and B. Blossey An evaluation of mechanisms preventing growth and survival of two native species in invasive Bohemian knotweed (Fallopia xbohemica, Polygonaceae) Am. J. Botany, May 1, 2007; 94(5): 776 - 783. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M.-S. Tiebre, S. Vanderhoeven, L. Saad, and G. Mahy Hybridization and Sexual Reproduction in the Invasive Alien Fallopia (Polygonaceae) Complex in Belgium Ann. Bot., January 1, 2007; 99(1): 193 - 203. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]