VARIATION IN THE NUMBER OF OVULES PER BOLL IN ECOLOGICALLY DIFFERENT POPULATIONS OF PLANTAGO-MAJOR L

The analysis of variation in ovule number per boil was carried out in five natural populations of Plantago major L. Variation was studied wi thin the inflorescence, between the generative shoots of the same plan t, between plants in the same and different ontogenetic states, and be tween ecologically different forms major and pleiosperma. The number o f ovules per boil at the base and in the middle of the inflorescence i n the form pleiosperma was greater in old generative shoots. The numbe r of ovules per boil at the base of the inflorescence was always great er than at the top. In most cases, bells from the base and the middle of the inflorescence did not differ. The difference between the ontoge netic states proved to be highly significant in all populations. The g reatest number of ovules per boil was always observed in the generativ e plants of middle age. The transgression of the trait in ecologically different forms major and pleiosperma is apparently determined by the ontogenetic heterogeneity of plants.