Flowering dynamics of Orchis morio L. and Herminium monorchis (L.) R.Br. at two sites in eastern England

Abstract

Information taken from two long-term demographic studies on Orchis morio L. and Herminium mnorchis (L.) R.Br. is used to explore some of the factors which influence flowering. The proportion of plants which flowered each year varied considerably between species, flowering in O. morio exceeding 40% in all years except one over an 18 year period; over a 30 year period (1966-95), the number of plants of Herminium in flower never exceeded 36% of: the population and no inflorescences were produced in 1977 and 1991. The relationship between flowering in Herminium in a given year and the monthly rainfall and temperature for the current and 3 precious years was analysed using logistic regression. Best fits were obtained using data for the summer months in the previous year, with an increasing flowering rate with rainfall and a decline with temperature. It is hypothesized that drought and high temperatures in the summer reduce leaf area and cause premature senescence and the death of leaves, with the result that not enough carbohydrates are stored to enable plants to support or initiate inflorescences the following year. For species such as Orchis morio which produce leaves in the autumn and remain green, summer drought causes no problems as they have no above ground organs. Factors which influence flowering in this species are as yet unknown. (C) 1998 The Linnean Society of London.