Phenotypic plasticity masks range?wide genetic differentiation for vegetative but not reproductive traits in a short?lived plant

Genetic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity jointly shape intraspecific trait variation, but their roles differ among traits. In short-lived plants, reproductive traits may be more genetically determined due to impact on fitness, whereas vegetative show higher buffer short-term perturbations. Combining a multi-treatment greenhouse experiment with observational field data throughout the range of widespread herb, Plantago lanceolata, we (1) disentangled genetic plastic responses functional set environmental drivers (2) assessed how trait–environment relationships. Reproductive showed distinct that largely patterns, only when correcting for differences in biomass. Vegetative opposite responses, masking component underlying field-observed variation. Our study suggests inferred from most closely related fitness.