NAVARRO, LUIS* AND JAVIER GUITIAN. Laboratorio de Botanica, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15706-Santiago de Compostela, Spain. - Variation in floral morphology and reproductive success in Petrocoptis viscosa Rothm. (Caryophyllaceae).
We examined variation in the floral morphology of Petrocoptis
viscosa Rothm. (Caryophyllaceae), a plant endemic to the northwest
Iberian Peninsula. First, we investigated whether peduncle length,
calyx length and petal-limb length influence reproductive success
(measured as seed production and seed weight). Second, we investigated
whether floral morphology varies with position in the inflorescence
and/or among populations. Peduncle length and calyx length showed no
significant relationship with seed production or seed weight; however,
petal-limb length was significantly and positively correlated with the
number of seeds produced by the flower. All three morphometric
characters, and the number of ovules per ovary, varied significantly
both within positions in the inflorescence and between populations.
Key words: Caryophyllaceae, endemism, floral morphology, Petrocoptis viscosa, reproductive success