Intra-plant Inflorescence and Seed Heterogeneity of Deverra triradiata (Apiaceae)
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SHORT COMMUNICATION
Intra-plant Inflorescence and Seed Heterogeneity of Deverra triradiata (Apiaceae) Arvind Bhatt1
•
N. R. Bhat1 • David Gallacher2
Received: 21 August 2018 / Revised: 14 September 2018 / Accepted: 9 January 2020 Ó The National Academy of Sciences, India 2020
Abstract Deverra triradiata is an aromatic perennial shrub distributed in coastal arid regions. In the present study, we tested the effect of umbel order on seed weight, germination, and germination requirements for temperature and light. Germination rate was strongly affected by umbel order and photoperiod but not by thermoperiod. Seed mass also declined substantially with umbel order. Results suggest that resource allocation within the inflorescence enables plants to produce seeds with a range of germination characteristics. Keywords Umbel Desert Germination Deverra triradiata
Seed placement within an inflorescence can influence seed mass, morphology, dormancy and germination [1, 2]. In Apiaceae, seeds from primary umbels normally mature earlier than those of other orders, thus exposing their development to different environmental conditions [2, 3]. Resource allocation may also vary, typically favoring primary umbels over others [4], but the influence this has on germination is species dependent. Seeds from primary umbels exhibited greater mass and higher germination rates in Angelica archangelica, Daucus carota and Peucedanum oreoselinum [5–7], exhibited greater mass and lower germination rates in Apium graveolens, Daucus carota and & Arvind Bhatt [email protected] 1
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, P.O. Box 24885, 13109 Safat, Kuwait
2
Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Zayed University, P.O. Box 19282, Al Ruwayyah, Dubai, UAE
Petroselinum crispum [8–10] and had no effect on germination rate in Heracleum mantegazzianum [2]. Intraspecific variation in morphology, dispersal, dormancy, germination rate and seed bank persistence is common in challenging habitats such as deserts [11, 12], where spatiotemporal variation in sexual reproduction improves the persistence of the species through unpredictable seasons. Deverra triradiata Hochst. ex Boiss (Apiaceae) is an aromatic perennial shrub, distributed in the arid regions of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula [13]. It is a common coastal rangeland species that is frequently grazed by camels [14]. It favors coastal dune areas [15], characterized by hot, dry conditions, low soil fertility and dune-forming winds, and is therefore a suitable species for coastal rehabilitation. D. triradiata flowers during summer when most other desert vegetation remains dormant [16]. It produces 2–5-mm-long ovoid fruits that are densely covered with whitish hirsute [17]. We found no information on seed dispersal mode or germination strategies. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of umbel order on seed weight, germination, and germination requirements for temperature and light. Seeds of D. triradiata were collected from Julaia (28° 530 2900 N, 48° 140 1700 E), Kuwait
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