Relationship between the sexual and the vegetative organs in a Polygonatum humile (Liliaceae) population in a temperate forest gap

Background: The aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between the sexual reproduction and the resource allocation in a natural Polygonatum humile population grown in a temperate mixed forest gap. For this aim, the plant size, the node which flower was formed, the fruiting rate, and the dry weight of each organ were monitored from June 2014 to August 2015. Results: Firstly, in 3–13-leaf plants, plants with leaves ≤ 8 did not have flowers and in plants with over 9 leaves the flowering rate increased with the number of leaves. Among plants with the same number of leaves, the total leaf area and dry weight of flowering plants were larger than those of non-flowering plants. The minimum leaf area and dry weight of flowering plants were 100 cm and 200 mg, respectively. Secondary, the flowers were formed at the 3rd~8th nodes, and the flowering rate was highest at the 5th node. Thirdly, cumulative values of leaf properties from the last leaf (the top leaf on a stem) to the same leaf rank were greater in a plant with a reproductive organ than in a plant without a reproductive organ. Fourthly, fruit set was 6.1% and faithful fruit was 2.6% of total flowers. Biomasses of new rhizomes produced per milligram dry weight of leaf were 0.397 ± 190 mg in plants that set fruit and 0.520 ± 0.263 mg in plants that did not, and the difference between the 2 plant groups was significant at the 0.1% level. Conclusions: P. humile showed that the 1st flower formed on the 3rd node from the shoot’s base. And P. humile showed the minimum plant size needed in fruiting, and fruiting restricted the growth of new rhizomes. However, the fruiting rate was very low. Thus, it was thought that the low fruiting rate caused more energy to invest in the rhizomes, leading to a longer rhizome. A longer rhizome was thought to be more advantageous than a short one to avoid the shading.