8 



population between 1988 and 1989. A sample plot 

 was established in this population in 1988; 198 

 plants were observed. In 1989, only 53 plants 

 were observed. The cause of the variation is not 

 known; however, it might be the effect of climatic 

 conditions on the germination or bolting and 

 flowering of G. repens . 



Only one large population was observed in 1990. 

 Low population counts may be due to lack of 

 germination or limited bolting by established 

 rhizomes; this may be the result of warm dry 

 climatic conditions which existed from May through 

 July of 1990. Many plants were observed to be 

 drying out as they were flowering. 



Details of population size and condition for each 

 occurrence are in Section IV, pp. 16-34. 



REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY 



a. TYPE OF REPRODUCTION: Goodyera repens 

 reproduces both vegetatively , via rhizomes, 

 and sexually through seeds. From seed, it is 

 five years until a rhizome produces a rosette 

 of evergreen leaves, which after 

 approximately three years produces a 

 flowering stalk and seed capsules (Luer 

 1975) . The rosette dies after flowering and 

 the rhizome then produces new rosettes. 



The plants are not naturally autogamous due 

 to the physical structure and timing of 

 flower development, but are self-compatible 

 if pollinated artificially (Kallunki 1976, 

 1981) . Natural hybrids between Goodyera 

 repens and G. oblongifolia have been reported 

 from northern Michigan (Kallunki 1981) , where 

 reproductive isolating mechanisms of floral 

 characteristics and flowering time are 

 imperfect. It is not known if natural 

 hybrids occur in Montana, but the two species 

 only rarely occur together in the state. 



b. POLLINATION BIOLOGY: Goodyera repens is 

 pollinated by insects, with bumblebees 

 (Bombidae) the most likely vector (Kallunki 

 1981) . The flowers on a plant develop 

 sequentially from the base to the tip of the 

 inflorescence, and undergo two phases of 

 development. In the earlier (male) phase, 

 visiting bees remove pollen but cannot 



