Tree size and its relationship with flowering phenology and reproductive output in Wild Nutmeg trees.

ABSTRACT: Reproductive strategies, sexual selection, and their relationship with the phenotype of individuals are topics widely studied in animals, but this information is less abundant for plants. Variability in flowering phenology among individuals has direct impact on their fitness, but how reproductive phenology is affected by the size of the individuals needs further study. We quantified the flowering intensity, length, and reproductive synchronization of two sympatric dioecious Wild Nutmeg tree species (Virola, Myristicaceae) in the Brazilian Atlantic forest, and analyzed its relationships with tree size. Two distinct strategies in flowering timing and intensity were found between species (annual versus biennial flowering), and among individuals in the annual flowering species (extended versus

SUBMITTER: Otarola MF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3797497 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature