Plasticity in the growth habit prolongs survival at no physiological cost in a monocarpic perennial at high altitudes

摘要

Monocarpic plants are those that flower, produce seeds and then die. Although most monocarpic plants are annual or biennial, some of them are perennial. However, relatively little is known regarding the biology of monocarpic perennials. Pyrenean saxifrage (Saxifraga longifolia) is a monocarpic perennial that is well adapted to high-mountain ecosystems. Here, we evaluated altitudinal changes in clonality in various populations growing in their natural habitat with particular emphasis on the physiological costs of clonal growth.