Morphological Adaptations by Glehnia littoralis to the Biomass and Heights of Peripheral Herbaceous Plants in Coastal Sand Dunes

To clarify the effects of peripheral herbal plants on Glehnia littoralis growth in coastal sand dunes, the morphology of their aboveground portions was surveyed in five communities: Carex kobomugi, Calystegia soldanella, Ischaemum anthephoroides, Oenothera hiennis, and Elymus mollis. Correlation coefficients (CC) were generally significant at the 1% level between community properties [total aboveground biomass (B) and height (H) of dominant species per unit area] and those of G. littoralis [leaf number (NI), petiole angle (Anp), petiole length (Lp), petiole weight (Wp), Lp/Wp, Lp/weight of leaf blade (Wb), Wp/total weight (Wt), specific leaf area (SLA), stem length (Ls), and Ls/weight of stem (Ws)] The exceptions were among four pairings: B and NI, B and Wt, H and NI, and H and Wt.