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

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 ISI Web of Science Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (5) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Herrera, C. M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Herrera, C. M. Agricola Articles by Herrera, C. M.

Post-floral perianth functionality: contribution of persistent sepals to seed development in Helleborus foetidus (Ranunculaceae)¹

Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avenida de María Luisa s/n, E-41013 Sevilla, Spain

ABSTRACT

The perianth persists after flowering in many plants, yet its post-floral functionality has been little investigated, and the few studies available provide ambiguous evidence. This paper tests the hypothesis that the green persistent sepals of the perennial herb, Helleborus foetidus, contribute to the plant's fitness by enhancing seed number and/or size. Post-floral contribution of the calyx to fruit and seed development was evaluated by manipulating sepal number and measuring the effect on follicle size, seed set, seeds per follicle, and mean seed mass. The allometric relationship between calyx size and follicle mass was examined for flower buds, open flowers, and immature fruits differing in follicle number. Calyx manipulation had no significant effect on follicle size, seed set, or number of seeds per follicle, but it did have a significant influence on the size of individual seeds. Calyx size and mean seed mass were positively, linearly related. The calyx mass/seed number ratio declined with increasing number of follicles per fruit. The persistent sepals of Helleborus do contribute resources to the development of seeds, although there is not evidence of post-floral allometric adjustment of the calyx mass/follicle number ratio that could compensate for variations in seed number per fruit.

Key Words: allometry • calyx size • Helleborus foetidus • perianth persistence • Ranunculaceae • seed size • sepal photosynthesis

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Y. Ida and G. Kudo Timing of Canopy Closure Influences Carbon Translocation and Seed Production of an Understorey Herb, Trillium apetalon (Trilliaceae) Ann. Bot., February 1, 2008; 101(3): 435 - 446. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. M. Sanchez-Lafuente Corolla Herbivory, Pollination Success and Fruit Predation in Complex Flowers: An Experimental Study with Linaria lilacina (Scrophulariaceae) Ann. Bot., February 1, 2007; 99(2): 355 - 364. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]