THE PHENOLOGY OF NAMAQUALAND EPHEMERAL SPECIES - THE EFFECT OF SOWINGDATE

In all five species examined, seeds sown in autumn (April) produced th e tallest plants. Later sowing resulted in early rapid stem elongation and the initiation of flowers/inflorescences in developmentally young er plants (fewer leaves on the main stem) and anthesis at a younger ag e. Plants from the early sowing produced more open inflorescences at p eak flowering than those of later sowing dates. It is therefore conclu ded that early autumn rain results in the establishment of taller plan ts which take a longer time to reach anthesis and peak flowering, but at their peak these plants will produce more inflorescences and conseq uently a more spectacular show than plants that establish later in the season. (C)1996 Academic Press Limited