The influence of shoot harvesting on the size and fecundity of Convallaria majalis L.

Abstract

The paper presents results concerning the size and fecundity of <em>Convallaria majalis</em> L. in populations both disturbed and undisturbed by shoot cutting. The subject of the investigations were coenopopulations of <em>Betulo-Quercetum</em>, <em>Fago-Quercetum</em>, <em>Melico-Fagetum</em>, <em>Stellario-Carpinetum</em> and <em>Tilio-Carpinetum</em>, in which, over a period of four consecutive years, <em>C. majalis</em> shoots were cut once a year. In the undisturbed population the vegetative shoot is 22.2 ± 4.8 cm high, weighs 0.23 ± 0.16 g d.w., and most often has two leaves. The leaf lamina was 12.0 ± 2.5 cm long and 3.3 ± 1.1 cm wide. The largest shoots occur in the population in <em>Betulo-Quercetum</em>, and the smallest in the population in <em>Melico-Fagetum</em>. The generative shoot is higher and has larger leaves than the vegetative shoot. The inflorescence most often consists of six flowers and is 21.3 ± 3.9 cm high and weighs 0.08 ± 0.03 g d.w. In the population in <em>Betulo-Quercetum</em> the inflorescence is the highest and has the greatest number of flowers. Multiple raw material collection leads to the decrease of <em>C. majalis</em> shoot sizes. In the second year of the experiment the shoots were three times lighter. Collection of raw material leads to a decrease in lily of the valley fecundity. After the second cut generative reproduction was halted and the influx of genets to the population was almost entirely eliminated.