Eastern Mojave Vegetation Age of Frasera albomarginata at Flowering  
 

 

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  Age of <I>Frasera albomarginata</I> at Flowering
My data set contains data about 276 individual plants that have been observed between 30 April 1996 and 7 June 2006. A chart of the ages of plants when they flowered and set seed is shown above. On 7 June 2006, 42 of the 134 plants shown as "3 - Still Growing" were in some stage of forming buds, flowering, or setting seed. Therefore, category "3 - Still Growing" is clearly overstated.

This chart shows that F. albomarginata can be a biennial as seven plants flowered in the second season following germination and establishment. Three plants flowered in the third season. The remaining 15 plants that flowered were 4 or more years in age. The reason I say 4 years or more is that these plants were established rosettes in my experimental plots when the plots were established. I don't really know how old they are. I think, though, that it is reasonable to assume that these plants were established after the heavy bloom of 1993. Therefore, a preliminary conclusion is that the species is a biennial at a minumum, probably grows two to seven years before flowering, but that the age of flowering is probably influenced mainly by precipitation.

Article records that use this photograph:

  • Autecology of Desert Elkweed Frasera albomarginata S. Watson (Syn: Swertia a.) Gentianaceae in the American Southwest: 140500.

Other photos about Frasera albomarginata or Age at Flowering.

 


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Date and time this page was prepared: 11/3/2024 5:37:25 PM