In this work we studied reproductive aspects of different individuals of Limonium ovalifolium (Poiret) O. Kuntze, Limonium multiflorum Erben species and individuals from populations not yet classified (L. sp.). We determined the rate of seed germination and pollenstigma dimorphisms in flowers of individuals from experimental populations established in the Instituto Superior de Agronomia. We also investigated the relative size of pollen grains, their viability and germination in vitro. We observed that L. ovalifolium and L. sp. individuals showed self-compatible and self-incompatible pollen-stigma combinations. In L. multiflorum we were not able to do this evaluation, because the pollen grains were collapsed. Although these species presented distinct levels of pollen viability, only those from L. ovalifolium germinated in vitro. These results suggest that in L. ovalifolium selfing and outcrossing might occur; moreover the penetration of a pollen tube in the stigma of one of the individuals was observed. In L. sp. although theoretically both selfing and crossing systems are possible, we never observed pollen grains germination in vitro. Lastly, even though L.multiflorum individuals showed collapsed pollen grain, they form viable seeds, suggesting that they originated through apomixis. We conclude that different Limonium species may have different reproductive strategies

Relatório Final de Estágio de Iniciação à Investigação Científica / ISA - Centro de Botânica Aplicada à Agricultura