Annual growth of four naked-bud tree species from the temperate rainforests of Patagonia.

Abstract

Annual growth of four naked-bud tree species from the temperate rainforests of Patagonia.
Plant species inhabiting regions with low seasonality in climate tend to exhibit some morpho-architectural features that occur less frequently in species from regions with seasonal climate. This study was aimed
at evaluating the primary growth of nursery-grown trees of four woody species native to the temperate rainforests of Patagonia, also known as Valdivian rainforests, where the degree of seasonality is lower than in other Patagonian forests. The selected species, Aextoxicon punctatum, Luma apiculata, Myrceugenia exsucca and Sophora microphylla, have naked buds, like many tropical species. Fenology, growth and branching of the main axis of marked plants were evaluated during one calendar year. Primary growth was markedly seasonal in all four species, as previously recorded for coexisting tree species with scaly buds. However, notable intra- and inter-specific differences in the onset and completion of growth
were detected; L. apiculata and M. exsucca (Myrtaceae) exhibited higher intra-specific variations than the other two species. Our results indicate that several factors would be involved in regulating primary growth in these species, something found in species with continuous growth.