Survivorship after flowering and flowering synchronicity of three cultivated Strobilanthes flexicaulis individuals from Iriomote Island, Japan

• Published in: Plant species biology 2021-01, Vol.36 (1), p.119-125
• Main Author: Furumoto, Ryo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: flower removal; flowering synchronicity; monocarpy; polycarpy; reproductive pattern
• ISSN: 0913-557X; 1442-1984
• DOI: 10.1111/1442-1984.12289

Strobilanthes flexicaulis in Iriomote Island, Japan, is a monocarpic perennial plant, which is thought to be an intermediate evolutionary state from a polycarpic perennial plant to a periodical mass‐flowering plant. It remains unclear whether the intermediate reproductive traits are altered by cutting propagation or disbudding treatment (flower bud removal). To evaluate whether these traits are affected by such treatments, three individuals of S. flexicaulis from Iriomote Island were cultivated, and their flowering patterns and survivorship were observed. The monocarpic trait seemed to have been altered into a polycarpic trait by cultivation. The disbudding treatment was not related to the survivorship. The initiation of flowering was synchronized, but the termination of the second flowering period was variable among the three individuals and between the treatments. S. flexicaulis on Iriomote Island seemed to have individual variation in reproductive traits. This variation may result in their intermediate evolutionary state. Strobilanthes flexicaulis in Iriomote Island is thought to be an intermediate monocarpic state. Under the cultivated conditions, their monocarpic trait was changed to a polycarpic trait, and their flowering pattern was variable among individuals. This individual variation may result in their intermediate state.