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Notes:
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Oxalis latifolia is
a widely distributed weed that mainly affects corn fields, orchards, plant nurseries and gardens.
Two forms of the weed have been identified: the common form, with fish-tailed leaflets, bulbils
growing on stolons and dark pink flowers, and the Cornwall form, with rounder leaflets, sessile
bulbils and whitish-pale pink flowers. In this study, the fresh matter production, expressed
as the increase of the bulbs’ fresh weight, of both forms was compared during two growing
seasons in two locations. The bulbs were grown in pots from spring to autumn, and different
aspects of growth were measured at the end of each season. The total fresh matter production,
weight of the apical bulb, total weight of the lateral bulbs and number of lateral bulbs differed
between the forms, but the mean weight of the lateral bulbs did not. The production of fresh
matter was related mainly to the climatic conditions, with both forms of O. latifolia being
sensitive to excess rainfall (e.g., > 100 mm) in June and July. The two forms of O. latifolia
differed with respect to the fresh matter allocation to the apical or lateral bulbs, suggesting a
difference in their growth strategies. The common form developed a light apical bulb and devoted
more resources to the lateral bulbs, whereas the Cornwall form developed a heavy apical bulb and many
comparatively smaller lateral bulbs. Despite their relative indifference to the soil type, the differences
between the two forms suggest that they originated from different climatic regions and that they
may differ in their invasive abilities. |
