Abstract

CASTELLANOS-VARGAS, Iván; CANO-SANTANA, Zenón  and  HERNANDEZ-LOPEZ, Berta. Efecto de Tillandsia recurvata L. (Bromeliaceae) sobre el éxito reproductivo de Fouquieria splendens Engelm. (Fouquieriaceae). Rev. Cien. For. Mex [online]. 2009, vol.34, n.105, pp.197-207. ISSN 1405-3586.

Some epiphyte plants are space parasites only. The effect that causes infestation of Tillandsia recurvata aggregations on reproductive success of Fouquieria splendens was analyzed. The study was carried out in a microphyll-thorny xeric scrub at Peña Blanca, Queretaro. In April 2005, sixty six individuals of F. splendens were selected, to register the cover, number of T. recurvata aggregations guests, cover mean of three T. recurvata aggregations by each phorophyte, panicles number, fowers with seeds and dead fowers by panicle. The infestation level of T. recurvata on F. splendens was correlated directly with number of fowers produced by cover phorophyte unit area (r = 0.31, P = 0.014); also, a signifcant positive correlation between infestation level and number of dead fowers was found (r = 0.33, P = 0.007). Nevertheless, there was not a signifcant correlation between infestation level and seeds produced by cover unit area of F. splendens (r = 0.05, P = 0.71). Results suggest that there is a possible reproductive compensation. When high infestation leve Isby T. recurvataexist, F. splendens phorophyte responds by increasing the production fowers in order to assure that the same number of structures with seeds stays in a similar proportion as if it was not infested.

Keywords : Epiphyte; reproductive success; Fouquieria splendens; panicles; Queretaro; Tillandsia recurvata.

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