36 (2): (2012) 111 -115
Note
First record of vivipary in a species of the genus
Sesleria (Poaceae)
Nevena Kuzmanović¹, Petronela Comanescu², Dmitar Lakušić¹
1 Faculty of Biology, Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden “Jevremovac“, University of Belgrade, Takovska 43,
Belgrade, Serbia
2 Botanical Garden “Dimitrie Brandza”, Sos.Cotroceni nr 32, Bucuresti, Romania
ABSTRACT: We report the occurrence of rootless plantlets in the inflorescence of Sesleria robusta Schott, Nyman
& Kotschy. cultivated in the Botanical garden “Jevremovac“ in Belgrade, Serbia. We assumed it
was pseudo-vivipary that had most probably been induced by unfavourable conditions during a
flowering that had occurred several months after the normal flowering time. To the best of our
knowledge, this is the first record of vivipary sensu lato in a Sesleria species.
Key words: vivipary, induced pseudo-vivipary, Poaceae, Sesleria
Received: 19 December 2011
Revision accepted 07 August 2012
UDK
Vivipary in flowering plants is defined as the precocious
and continuous growth of the offspring when still attached
to the maternal parent (Goebel 1905; Arber 1965; Font
Quer 1993). Two main types may be distinguished: true
vivipary and pseudo-vivipary. Furthermore, some authors
recognize a subcategory designated as “induced pseudovivipary” (Clay 1986; Philipson 1935; Nygren 1949;
Wycherley 1953).
True vivipary refers to the development of sexual
offspring; the embryo grows to a considerable size before
dispersal. In circumstances of this kind the developing
zygote lacks, at a certain period, maternal tissues that
mediate its relationship with the environment (Elmqvist
& Cox 1996). Viviparous plants are important constituents
of the vegetation in areas of Mediterranean and semi-arid
climates, in mangroves, though vivipary is also a wellknown feature of arctic and alpine vegetation caused by
the severity of these regions (Lee & Harmer 1980).
Pseudo-vivipary refers to plants that produce apomictic
or asexual propagules such as bulbils or plantlets in an
inflorescence, instead of seeds. All other parts of the plant
appear normal (Elmqvist & Cox 1996). The phenomenon
is known from over 100 species of grasses (Poaceae)
✳
correspondence: nkuzmanovic@bio.bg.ac.rs
worldwide (Beetle 1980, Vega & Rúgolo de Agrasar
2006). Plantlets are able to photosynthesize at any stage
of their development (Lee & Harmer 1980), and after
detaching from the parent plant and following dispersal,
may root and establish more rapidly in a short growing
season than seeds (Harmer & Lee 1978).
Pseudo-vivipary also occurs in arctic, alpine and
arid areas, characterized by large spatial and temporal
heterogeneity. In many species it is a constant feature, but
it may also be induced in plants by exposure to short-day
treatment, or as a result of parasite attack (Philipson 1935,
Nygren 1949, Wycherley 1953). There are suggestions
that pseudo-vivipary results from hybridization and
subsequent sterility (Flovik 1938). Some grasses growing
in temperate habitats occasionally show proliferated
spikelets as a response to unfavorable conditions during
a casual flowering that may occur several months after
normal flowering time (Martínez Crovetto 1944, 1945,
1947).
Proliferated pseudoviviparous spikelets have been
recorded throughout the Poaceae in species of the following
genera: Agrostis L., Arrhenatherum P. Beauv., Briza L.,
Bromus L., Cynosurus L., Dactylis L., Deschampsia P.
© 2012 Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden Jevremovac, Belgrade
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vol. 36 (2)
Figure 1. Sesleria robusta Schott, Nyman & Kotschy. cultivated in the Botanical garden “Jevremovac” in Belgrade, Serbia. a – First regular
flowering (26th April 2007); b, c – The inflorescence with plantlets (b-21st September 2010, c-10th December 2011); d – Total plant (16th
November 2010). Photo: D. Lakušić
N. Kuzmanović et al.: First record of vivipary in a species of the genus Sesleria (Poaceae) 113
Figure 2. Climadiagrams (according Walter & Leith 1964) of natural habitat in Mt. Orjen (Crkvice) and in the Botanical garden “Jevremovac”
in Belgrade
Beauv., Digitaria Haller, Eleusine Gaertn., Eragrostis Wolf,
Festuca L., Ichnanthus P. Beauv., Koeleria Pers., Lolium L.,
Melica L., Panicum L., Paspalum L., Phleum L., Poa L.,
Sorghum Moench , Trisetum Pers. (Vega & Rúgolo de
Agrasar 2006).
While working on enrichment of the living-plant
collection in the Botanical garden “Jevremovac”, Sesleria
robusta was brought from the locality Orjenske lokve at
Mt. Orjen in Montenegro. Plant material was collected
on 11th October 2005 by V. Stevanović and D. Lakušić,
and the turfs were planted two days after collecting (13th
October), in soil brought together with seedlings from
natural habitats from Orjen. S. robusta is registered under
Coll. No. 251.
The first regular flowering was observed during April
2007 (Fig. 1 a – 26th April 2007).
Five years after transferring, at the end of August
2010 we observed that the inflorescence had proliferated,
producing plantlets (Fig 1 b, d). The plantlets were rootless,
as in many other grasses produced by pseudo-vivipary.
This last flowering came about several months after
the regular flowering that occurs in natural populations.
The inflorescence was still immature at that time, so we
suppose that the plantlets had developed asexually, and
that this pseudo-vivipary was induced by late flowering.
Based on our previous knowledge, this is the first record of
vivipary sensu lato in a Sesleria species.
The next year (2011), approximately at the same
time, in September, we noticed again that S. robusta had
an inflorescence with plantlets (Fig 1 c). This flowering
also occurred later than normal flowering in a natural
population. All seven spikelets that developed on the plant
were with plantlets. Some of them developed small roots
while they were still attached to the parent plant.
S. robusta was planted in the soil that was brought
from its natural habitat, in an area of rocky ground with
carbonates, so regarding the geological substrate there
were no significant changes in habitat conditions However,
significant differences were present in the climatic
conditions of Belgrade and Orjen (Fig 2).
S. robusta was brought from Orjen that is part of the
Dinaric Mediterranean limestone mountain range which
extends in a NW-SE direction in Bosnia and Herzegovina
and Montenegro. It is in a perhumid MediterraneansubMediterranean mountain climate (type V sensu
Walther & Leith 1964, type 1.2 sensu Stevanović &
Stevanović 1995). A particularity of the littoral Dinarids
is its precipitation regime, as Orjen receives Europe’s most
heavy precipitation (Crkvice - over 5000 mm). A major
disadvantage is that the water infiltrates quickly into the
porous rocks, so an overall dryness is characteristic. In
Orjen, S. robusta occurs in vegetation of high mountain
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pastures and rocky crevices.
The type of climate in Belgrade is a transitional
subcontinental-semiarid continental climate (type VI
2b/VII sensu Walther & Leith 1964, type 2.2/3.1 sensu
Stevanović & Stevanović 1995), and is determined by
its geographical position. Belgrade lies on the border of
the Pannonian Plane, so particularly during winter it is
influenced by a continental climate from the north and
north-east, and this continental influence is strengthened
with the dry wind Košava. Frost occurs during winters,
while the summers are semi-arid. A decrease of insolation
is also present, since Belgrade has the climate typical for
big cities.
Thus, we can presume that living in very different
climate conditions could induce the occurrence of late
flowering, that together with other specific ecological
conditions that are present in the town centre of Belgrade
where the Botanical garden “Jevremovac” is situated, could
induce the occurrence of pseudo-vivipary in this species.
Acknowledgements: The investigation was supported
by The Ministry for Science (No. 173030).
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N. Kuzmanović et al.: First record of vivipary in a species of the genus Sesleria (Poaceae) 115
REZIME
Prva zabeležena viviparija kod vrste roda Sesleria
(Poaceae)
Nevena Kuzmanović, Petronela Comanescu, Dmitar Lakušić
S
aopštavamo pojavljivanje viviparnih biljčica bez korena u klasu Sesleria robusta Schott, Nyman & Kotschy.
kultivisanoj u Botaničkoj bašti „Jevremovac“ u Beogradu, Srbiji. Pretpostavljamo da je pseudo-viviparija u
pitanju, koja je najverovatnije indukovana nepovoljnim uslovima tokom cvetanja koje se javilo nekoliko meseci
kasnije od normalnog vremena cvetanja. Na osnovu našeg dosadašnjeg znanja ovo je prvo beleženje viviparije, u
širem smislu te reči, kod jedne vrste roda Sesleria.
Ključne reči: viviparija, indukovana pseudo-viviparija, Poaceae, Sesleria