Temporal patterns of flowering and pod-set among theobroma and herrania species in a costa rican garden plot

Abstract

The number of floral buds, open flowers, inflorescences, and fruits (pods) were recorded at varying intervals over several years in a Costa Rican garden plot with mature trees of two species from the genus Theobroma (T, simiarum, T. speciosum) and three species from the genus Herrania (H. albiflora, H. nitida and H. purpurea) (Malvaceae: Byttnerioideae). While there were considerable differences in the number of flowers, inflorescences and open flowers, timing of these outputs only significantly differed in the timing of pod production; in this respect the species fell into roughly two groups though these groups did not correspond to the two genera. H. albiflora, H. purpurea, and T. speciosum all produced more pods in December, February, and March. Alternatively, H. nitida and T. simiarum produced more pods in September. This paper adds to our knowledge of how closely related species in the same habitat partition the timing of flowering and pod-set.