17 



2. Relation to climate and microclimate: Erigeron 



lackschewitzii blooms with other plants that do not 

 initiate growth until after snowmelt. The exposed 

 setting is not known to have a special role in its 

 phenology. 



D. Reproductive ecology. 



1. Types of reproduction: None of the flower 

 buds collected in 1992 had produced pollen 

 (Kerstetter pers. obs.). This is taken as 

 preliminary evidence of apomictic reproduction 

 (Kerstetter pers. coraun.). 



2. Pollination. 



a. Mechanisms: It is possible that 

 fertilization takes place without 

 pollination (see above). It is also 

 interesting to note that the oblique angle 

 of the ligule would seem like an 

 impediment to pollinator visitation. 



b. Specific known pollinators: None known 



c. Other suspected pollinators: None known 



d. VulnereQjility of pollinators: None known 



3. Seed dispersal. 



a. General mechanisms: Pappus bristles aid 

 in wind dissemination 



b. Specific agents: None known 



c. Vulnereibility of dispersal agents and 

 mechanisms: None known 



d. Patterns of propagule dispersal: It has 

 been noted that populations are 

 established at points on the landscape 

 where strong winds converge and eddy. 



4. Seed biology. 



a. Amount and variation of seed production: 



Seed production is expected to vary little 

 among flowering plants, as judged by the 

 uniformity of flowering stalk number and 

 corolla disk diameter. It is assumed that 

 disk corolla size reflects seed numbers. 



