Differentiation Patterns of Reproductive Systems in the Genus Trillium

Abstract The differentiation patterns of reproductive systems, including breeding and pollination systems, and perennation strategies of the genus Trillium were critically studied. The pedicellate- and sessile-flowered species with different floral morphologies and ecological distributions exhibited distinct modes of reproductive systems in relation to their habitat conditions. The pedicellate-flowered species occurring in stable mesic temperate deciduous forests reproduce exclusively by seeds, while sessile-flowered species growing in the alluvial flood plain habitats depend to a large extent on vegetative reproduction to compensate for the insufficient sexual reproduction under ecologically unstable conditions, e.g., frequent disturbance due to flooding. These sessile-flowered species are characterized by low ovule numbers, subsequent low seed outputs and low fecundity levels. In contrast to the sessile-flowered species, the pedicellate-erect-flowered species showed very high seed setting rates of over 50%. Breeding experiments for four Japanese species suggest that, although they substantially possess the capability of both inbreeding and outbreeding, the high fecundity levels are maintained by predominant inbreeding system. Furthermore, resource levels in the stock organs of these species obviously determine fecundity levels. As a consequence the amount of reserved food in the rhizomes transferred to the next season is determined, which gurantees a continuous reproductive activity of a given individual plant.