Natural History of Fern-leaf Goldthread (Coptis aspleniifolia) in Juneau, Alaska

Fern-leaf goldthread (Coptis aspleniifolia), a coastal rainforest plant, has variable sex expression, flowering commonly as males, but also as protandrous and protogynous hermaphrodites. Ramets often change sex expression between years; ramets that produced fruit in one year were usually male or sterile the next year. The most common flower visitors were dance flies. Seeds experimentally dispersed by displacement of open follicles or fruiting scapes usually traveled less than 1 m. Experiments to determine resource or pollen-limitation of fruit and seed set are desirable.