Predictions of fate from rosette size in teasel (Dipsacus fullonum L.)

Abstract

In field populations of the biennial plant (Dipsacus fullonum L.) the probability that an individual will die, remain vegetative, or flower during a particular growing season is highly correlated with the size of its vegetative rosette at the end of the growing season of the preceding year. Further, a rosette forms a flowering stalk only after attaining a critical size. Correlations of various plant fates with rosette size are independent of rosette age; hence size provides better predictions of plant fate than age.