Reproduction of Echium vulgare L. [Boraginaceae] at contaminated sites

Abstract

Reproduction of Echium vulgare L. was examined in situ at two contaminated sites (Silesia, Poland): a zinc spoil heap in Katowice-Wenowiec, and the surroundings of the Z elazny Most copper post-flotation waste reservoir.Plants from uncontaminated sites (near Rymanw) were studied as the control material.We compared the reproductive capacity of plants in the stress conditions to that of plants from uncontaminated sites.Degenerative processes and abnormalities found in the reproductive organs of plants from polluted sites, more intensified in the population from Z elazny Most, resulted in lowered fertility of plants.In germination tests on standard soil and from polluted sites, seeds from the control plants had the lowest germination on soil from Z elazny Most, and seeds from Z elazny Most had significantly delayed germination and had higher germination on standard soil than on polluted soil from their site; on the other hand, seeds from Katowice-Wenowiec had higher germination on waste heap soil than on standard soil.The results suggest that among the populations from polluted sites, the one from Katowice-Wenowiec is more advanced in selection for tolerance.