Growth and reproductive characteristics of an aquatic macrophyte Ottelia alismoides (L.) Pers. (Hydrocharitaceae)

Abstract

Life history and reproductive traits of a submerged aquatic weed, Ottelia alismoides (L.) Pers., were studied in irrigation ponds in southwestern Japan. In addition, growth and seed production were investigated in relation to nutrient condition and water depth. The size of plants was very variable but reproductive allocation was nearly constant irrespective of the plant size at reproductive stage, amounting to more than 30% at maximum. Bagging experiments confirmed autogamy of the species. Ottelia alismoides grew best in nutrient‐rich water with mud substratum. The optimal water depth for the growth of the species was approximately 50 cm compared with 20 and 90 cm. However, the reproductive allocation and seed set rate did not change much in different nutrient and water depth conditions. The seeds were produced by cleistogamous flowers in a depth of 90 cm. Morphological and ecological plasticity revealed in the present study was considered to be adapted to unstable environments such as rice fields and irrigation ponds liable to water‐level fluctuation. The conditions required for the restoration of the populations of O. alismoides are discussed based on the present results.

Environmental opportunities and constraints in the reproduction and dispersal of aquatic plants

“…Juncus militaris (Hogeland and Killingbeck, 1985), Limonium girardianum (Baumberger et al, 2012). However, research on the annual submersed plant Ottelia alismoides found that the size of plants was very variable but reproductive allocation to seeds was nearly constant irrespective of the plant size at reproductive stage, amounting to more than 30% at maximum (Jiang and Kadono, 2001).…”

Phenotypic Plasticity of Early and Late Successional Forbs in Response to Shifts in Resources

“…Invasive species showed higher reproductive effort that varies across a range of resource levels [27] , [28] . Recent studies have suggested that invasive or late successional species might not always have a greater competitive advantage over their non-invasive native counterparts [29] – [32] . Abrahamson and Gadgil (1973) demonstrated that late successional species did not have higher reproductive effort compared to early successional species.…”

Assessment of toxicological effects of some new plant extracts on cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii

“…Ottelia alismoides is a species of aquatic plant that belongs to the family Hydrocharitaceae. It is commonly known as duck lettuce, water lettuce or water cabbage Kadono, 2001 andWang et al, 2022). Ottelia alismoides potential as a natural pesticide is still under study.…”