THE ADAPTATION OF SILENE VULGARIS TO GROWTH ON A CALAMINE WASTE HEAP (S. POLAND)

Two populations of Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke (= S. inflata Mill. = S. cucubalus (L.) Wib.) were cultivated and compared. One populatio n was from a calamine waste heap in Boleslaw near Olkusz in southern P oland, the other a normal population from the Botanical Gardens in War saw. In comparison with the normal population, the plants from the was te heap population were characterized by faster growth, thicker and na rrower leaves, and trailing shoots of small diameters. The xeromorphic adaptations of the waste heap population were accompanied by increase d water stress resistance (PEG 6000 test). The main life strategy (typ e r) of the calamine waste heap population, associated with growth und er the difficult conditions of the place, is based on accelerated grow th and rapid entry into the generative phase. The smaller biomass gain of these plants is compensated for by abundant flowering (by 23%). Mo reover, these plants exhibit a very high tolerance to lead. Tests with PbCl2 showed that lead stimulated root elongation (up to 164% of cont rols), biomass gain of roots, and formation of root hairs. (C) 1998 El sevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.