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Floral Biology of Physaria ludoviciana (Brassicaceae), a Plant Rare to the Midwest
Castanea (2007)
  • Ann E. Claerbout, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Janice M. Coons, Eastern Illinois University
  • Henry R. Owen, Eastern Illinois University
  • Kenneth R. Robertson, Illinois Natural History Survey
Abstract

Physaria ludoviciana (Brassicaceae) is rare in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Environmental effects on floral development are unclear. Both self-compatibility and self-incompatibility occur within Physaria species. Objectives were to describe flowers, to determine how photoperiod affects flower development, and to predict whether flowers are self-compatible or self-incompatible. For photoperiods, greenhouse-grown plants were placed in either 16 or 8 hr photoperiods. Inflorescences and open flowers were counted weekly. For pollination, flowers were self-pollinated or cross-pollinated. Plants developed inflorescences after 20 and 28 d in long and short days, respectively. Inflorescences/plant increased for both photoperiods throughout the study. In short days, plants produced more inflorescences (10.8/plant) than in long days (7.1/plant). Anthesis started at 48 and 56 d for long and short days, respectively. Blooming peaked at 83 d (4.9 flowers/plant/day) for long days, and at 98 d (3.5 flowers/plant/day) for short days. Cross-pollinated flowers produced fruits, while self-pollinated ones did not.

Keywords
  • CRUCIFERAE,
  • BOTANY,
  • FLOWERS,
  • POLLINATION,
  • INFLORESCENCES
Disciplines
Publication Date
September, 2007
Citation Information
Ann E. Claerbout, Janice M. Coons, Henry R. Owen and Kenneth R. Robertson. "Floral Biology of Physaria ludoviciana (Brassicaceae), a Plant Rare to the Midwest" Castanea Vol. 72 Iss. 3 (2007)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/henry_owen/14/