REPRODUCTIVE-BEHAVIOR OF NATURAL-POPULATIONS OF MEADOW SALSIFY (TRAGOPOGON PRATENSIS)

The reproductive characteristics of natural populations of meadow sals ify were monitored between May 1990 and October 1991. Plants in even-a ged populations did not produce seeds prior to the second winter and p lants in uneven-aged populations died after seed production suggesting that meadow salsify at this site is a monocarpic perennial and not a true biennial. Delayed seed production may enhance abundance of this s pecies by increasing the size of its bud bank. Plants of uneven-aged p opulations flowered over a range of root crown diameters; the percenta ge of plants bearing flowers increased with increasing root crown diam eters. The minimum root crown diameter at which plants flowered in 199 0 and 1991 was 0.2 and 0.6 cm respectively demonstrating that factor(s ) other than plant size regulate flowering in this species. Seed produ ction ranged between 100 to 850 seeds per plant. Total number of flowe r heads per plant and florets per plant were positively correlated wit h each other and with the root crown diameter. Root crown diameter is, therefore, a good indicator of potential fecundity in meadow salsify. Greater seed production by larger plants may compensate, at least in part, for the high juvenile mortality and longer generation time in th is species. The results suggest that prolific seed production and long vegetative survival are important strategies in the maintenance of me adow salsify populations.