Intrainflorescence variation in female fitness components in Anemone rivularis var. flore-minore

It has been noticed that the plants in the alpine region should adopt different reproductive strategies to ensure the successful female reproduction. The variations of female fitness components of intra-inflorescence were investigated in different branch positions in the perennial hermaphrodite herb Anemone rivularis var. flore-minore from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results showed that ovule number per flower and mean seed weight per fruit varied with the flowers’ open order from the first branch to the third branch in different habitats. The seed number per fruit at the second branch was highest, while single seed weight per fruit significantly decreased (P＜0.001) from the first branch to the third branch. The seed-setting rate and female allocation did not depend on inflorescence branch part, whereas there were significantly positive correlations between female fitness components.