Flowering pattern, seed-set success, and allocation to male and female functions of a spring ephemeral lily, Gagea lutea, were compared within individual inflorescences. Although the number of flowers increased with plant size and anthesis was extended as the number of flowers increased from one to four, the total number of seeds produced per plant did not increase with the number of flowers under natural conditions. The later-blooming flowers were smaller in size than the earlier ones within an inflorescence, and the ratio of stamen dry weight to pistil dry weight in the later flowers was higher than that in the earlier ones. Although the ovule fertilization rate was increased by artificial pollination, it was lower in the later flowers than in the earlier ones within an inflorescence. Neither nutrient addition to the soil nor removal of earlier flowers increased the seed production of the later flowers. These results indicated that the later flowers had a lower potential for female function than did the earlier ones and that this was probably due to variation inherent in inflorescence architecture. Seed production of the later flowers was also limited by the time needed for seed maturation because the aboveground part of G. lutea died soon after canopy closure in early summer. Furthermore, the later flowers probably contributed to the reproductive success of a plant as pollen donors.Key words: flowering order, Gagea lutea, resource allocation, seed production, short growing season.
Ephemerality of a Spring Ephemeral Gagea lutea (L.) is Attributable to Shoot Senescence Induced by Free Linolenic Acid