Nakonechnaya O.V., Nesterova S.V., Voronkova N.M.
Botanicheskii zhurnal 2016; 101(10): 1190-1201
Ontogeny and several aspects of reproductive biology of Aristolochia elegans Mast. cultivated in a greenhouse of the Botanical Garden-Institute, Far Eastern Branch of RAS (BGI FEB RAS, Vladivostok, Russia) were studied. A. elegans is a woody liana, an ornamental and medicinal plant, a native of South and Central America. The plants were cultivated from seeds of Tallinn Botanical Garden’s reproduction. Three periods and seven age states from seed to mature generative individual were identified in the plants ontogeny. Nearly 85 % individuals successfully change their age status. The plants bloom in 10- 12 months after sowing, then flowering and fruiting occur every year. Flowers are protogynous and adaptive to pollination by insects. Life time of individual flower is 2-3 days. Self-compatibility was confirmed in A. elegans, but pollinators are required for successful pollination. Members of Drosophilidae family (order Diptera) are pollinators in ex situ. The fruit is a 6-locular dry capsule 30.3 ± 0.95 mm long, 13.2 ±0.35 mm wide. The seed length with wing included is 5.52 ±0.08 mm and width is 4.39 ± ± 0.06 mm; seeds length with wing excluded is 3.18 ± 0.05 mm and width 3.02 ± 0.04 mm. The seeds obtained in the BGI FEB RAS are smaller than those from Tallinn Botanical Garden. However, germinating ability 84 ± 2 % as well as a high index of ovules formation per germ 374 ±16, number of viable seeds per fruit 207 ±16, and seed set 55 ± 4 % were shown. The regular flowering and the high reproductive ability of A. elegans ex situ confirmed the species ability to adapt to ecological and geographical conditions of a new area, and its potential success when introduced in Primorye Territory of Russia.
