ParticleSystem with StartLifetime = 0.1f in play mode always generates one particle and when it dies a new one is generated. So as the result one particle always exists. In Standalone there is an another behaviour. Particle dies before new is borned and there is a time moment when there are any particle.
Play attached scene and compare result with Standalone.
For more detailes You could see ParticleSystemStartLifetime runtime tests.