PHENOLOGY, FLORAL SYNCHRONY AND REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS OF NEOLLOYDIA CONOIDEA (CACTACEAE)

Background: Studies on flowering patterns, floral synchrony and reproductive success in cacti are incipient. Reproductive biology of most cacti species is unknown, such as the case of the globose cactus Neolloydia conoidea. Questions: How is the pattern of flowering at the population level? How is the floral synchrony? Is there a relationship between floral synchrony and reproductive success? Species: Neolloycha conoidea (DC.) Britton & Rose (Cactaceae). Study site and dates: Municipality of Toliman, Queretaro, Mexico. Two years of observations (N = 146 individuals in 2015, 142 in 2016) in a population of Neolloydia conoidea. Methods: Census of flowers in anthesis and analysis of flowering phenology through Kernel Density Estimators (KDE) and Gaussian components. Determination of floral synchrony through Augspurger (S-A) and Marquis (S-M) indexes and comparison of reproductive success (fruit set and seed set) per year and per pulse. Results: Neolloydia conoidea presents a flowering of pulsed pattern with low synchrony levels. This is the first record of this strategy for a globose cactus, although a similar pattern has already been reported for a columnar cactus. We suggest that this could represent a reproductive strategy of "bet hedging" on study site. Conclusions: Neolloydia conoidea presents a pattern of flowering in pulses with low levels of synchrony. This is the first record of such a strategy for a globose cactus, although a similar pattern has already been reported for a columnar cactus. We suggest that this could represent a "bet hedging" strategy at the study site.