1. Sexual polymorphism and spatial segregation of Thymelaea hirsuta in Liguria (north-west Italy).
- Author
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Minuto, L., Casazza, G., and Profumo, P.
- Subjects
- *
THYMELAEACEAE , *PLANT phenology , *PLANT species , *PLANT communities - Abstract
Abstract Flowering phenology, sexual polymorphism and spatial segregation were studied over two consecutive years in a population of Thymelaea hirsuta (L.) Endl. (Thymelaeaceae) growing on coastal cliffs in north-western Italy. The study population was geographically segregated and, together with Croatian sites, it constituted the northernmost margin of the species' distribution range. Very frequent observations highlighted a sexual tendency towards dioecy already shown by T. hirsuta in other parts of the Mediterranean coast. The flowering period lasted 10  –  11 months, more or less. A high proportion of female flowers and a low number of hermaphrodite flowers were recorded, in contrast with the abundance borne by the species elsewhere; gender segregation into two different subgroups was noted, one consisting mainly of male and protogynous plants, the second consisting basically of female and protandrous specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2005
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