New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts

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Seed germination of five subalpine Acaena species

LINDSEY N. CONNER*

Botany Department, University of Canterbury
Private Bag, Christchurch, New Zealand

Abstract The effects of temperature, light, and water availability on seed germination are exam- ined in Acaena caesiiglauca, A. fissistipula, A. gla- bra, A. inermis, and A. profundeincisa. Germination requirements are quite specific with maximum ger- mination usually below 60%. Seed predominantly germinates over a narrow temperature range (approximately 14-21ƒC) and is promoted by light and high water availability. Seed of A. inermis only germinated well in the presence of 2% potassium nitrate. Seed germination declined during dry stor- age at room temperature, with virtually no ger- mination 10 months after harvest.

Keywords Acaena; germination requirements; seed ecology; subalpine

Received 31 October 1985; accepted 3 June 1986
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 1987, Vol. 25: 1-4
0028-825X/87/2501-0001$2.50/0 © Crown copyright 1987

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (307K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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