Flowering and fruiting phenology in maquis of New Caledonia

Patterns of flowering and fruiting phenology are described for 30 native woody species (21 families) growing in maquis on the south of New Caledonia, south-western Pacific. Data were monthly recorded from August 2002 to July 2005 along a transect joining 337 individual plants. Flowering and fruiting were mostly annual. Flowering peaks appeared at the end of the dry season and, to a lesser extent, during the wet season. Fruiting peaks occurred during the wet season. Radiation duration and rainfall are assumed to be the climatic parameters that have the greatest influence on maquis plants phenology, respectively triggering flowering and fruiting. Three functional types of species are defined according to their phenological patterns, based on flowering duration and flowering synchronism. The expected effects of climate change on these functional types are discussed.