Inflorescence morphology, features of flowering and fruiting Trifolium rubens L. (Fabaceae) plants of different years of vegetation in the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden in the National Academy of Aciences of Ukraine

Abstract

Inflorescence morphology, features of flowering and fruiting Trifolium rubens plants of different years of vegetation have been analyzed in the ex situ conditions. The influence of plant’s age on the morphological characteristics of inflorescences and distinction of  seed production of various sequences inflorescences have been identified. In the first year of growth some plants are flowering in early September, but the fruits are not formed. In the second year of vegetation flowering and plant’s fruiting are regular. In the life cycle of T. rubens plants in ex situ conditions the duration of generative period is longer than pre-generative. The plants of both years of vegetation are generative individual with a predominance of vegetative shoots on generative shoots (55 and 64% respectively). In the ex situ conditions T. rubens formed two buds on generative shoots, while the main inflorescence is always bigger, then side inflorescence is less. In the second year of vegetation buds are bigger and have an elongated shape. They form more flowers and fruit buds in compare with the plants of six vegetation season. Flowers on plants of both years of vegetation are generally located on the main inflorescences (53 and 63% respectively). The percentage of plant’s fruit flowering of the second year of vegetation dominated on the plants of the six vegetation year (67 and 47% respectively). The main plant inflorescence of the second year of vegetation formed 68% of fruits, and plant of the six vegetation year had more fruits on the side inflorescence (53%). In the conditions of ex situ plants of the second vegetation year the factor of seed productivity was greater (67 and 47% respectively), weight of 1000 seeds was 2.53 and 2.28 g. Weight of seeds on generative shoots were 0.64 and 0.36 g. respectively. Less the average coefficient of variation of signs generative shoots and reproductive rate had greater effort (27.58 and 15.77 g. respectively).