The comparative reproductive biology of three Leucospermum species (Proteaceae) in relation to fire responses and breeding system

Abstract

A study was made of both natural and cultivated populations of the resprouter after fire, Leucospermum cuneiforme, and two non-sprouters, L. cordifolium and L. erubescens. Measurements included florets per head, heads per plant (on an absolute and volume basis), nectar volume and sugar concentration, seeds per head and seed set following bagging to prevent access to pollinators. The results provided almost no support for the hypothesis that, in comparison with non-sprouters, resprouters minimize their reproductive effort in association with self-incompatibility. There was, however, some support for earlier proposals that the most self-compatible species (in this case, L. cuneiforme) have the widest ecological range, the greatest reproductive effort and highest percentage seed set.