Fruit and Seed Phenological studies of Rauvolfia species distributed in the Southern Western Ghats

Abstract

Fruiting pattern of five Rauvolfia species in the southern Western Ghats were observed to get an insight and limitations impacting their fruiting cycles. These species displayed parallel seasonal occurrences in their flowering and fruiting. Over two continuous years, from January to December in 2011 and 2012, monthly observations highlighted discrepancies in the duration of flowering and fruiting, despite the shared seasonal aspects. The peaks and patterns of fruiting varied among these species, demonstrating differences in key factors like fruiting duration, peak times, single/double fruit ratio, and seed purity. Moreover, it was observed that annual precipitation influences the flowering and fruiting behaviors of Rauvolfia.