Open Access

ARTICLE

Strategies and survival tactics of Cologania broussonetii (Balb.) DC. (Fabaceae-Faboideae)

Perissé P¹, R Lovey², ML Molinelli¹, M Scandaliaris²

1 Departamento Fundamentación Biológica, Botánica Morfológica, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina.
2 Departamento Fundamentación Biológica, Botánica Taxonómica, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina.

* Corresponding Author:Address Correspondence to: Patricia Perissé, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Av. Valparaíso S/N Ciudad Universitaria, C.C. 509, C.P. 5000, Córdoba, Argentina, e-mail:

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2014, 83(all), 275-281. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2014.83.275

Abstract

Cologania broussonetii (Balb.) DC. stands out as valuable perennial, native forage that grows in northwestern Argentina, Cordoba hills and San Luis Province. The objectives of this study were to establish the vegetative and reproductive structures in function of the strategies and survival tactics of Cologania broussonetii. The specimens were collected in the Pan de Azúcar loaf mountain, Córdoba, and in the experimental plots of the FCA, UNC, and were then deposited in the Herbarium ACOR and in the Seed Collection. Seedlings were obtained from germination assays. Cross section cuts were performed on the survival structures of adult plants, and on seedlings organs that were analyzed using stereoscopic and optical microscopy. The morphoanatomical studies on the survival structures showed the presence of a caulinar structure with an axillary bud complex by leaf (one axillary bud with two prophyllary buds) and adventitious roots; anatomical analyses revealed a contractil secondary shoot structure, that accumulates starch in the pith and cortex; these features agree with those found in lignotubers. Adventitious buds developed at the hypocotyl, which become in lignotubers during juvenile and adult plant states. These structures contribute to explain the perennial condition of the species and its adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. It is recognized the vegetative regeneration and the seed production as reproductive strategies, and the lignotubers as survival tactics of the study species.

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