New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts

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Germination in relation to salinity in some plants of salt marshes in Otago, New Zealand

T. R. PARTRIDGE*
J. B. WILSON

Department of Botany, University of Otago
P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand

Abstract Germination characteristics were examined for nine halophytes occurring on Otago salt marshes and were compared with two glyco- phytes. The seed of most halophytes remained dor- mant, but viable, in saline solution for at least several months. In comparison, of the two glyco- phyte species, one germinated in saline solution whereas the other suffered seed mortality. There was a correlation between the salt sensitivity of seed and the salt sensitivity of adults of the same spe- cies. Perennials, especially those with extensive vegetative reproduction, required lower salinity for germination than did comparable annuals and short-lived perennials. For most species, germina- tion behaviour would not be solely limiting their distribution on a salt marsh.

Keywords halophytes; germination; salinity; salt tolerance; seed; salt marshes; vegetation zonation; Otago

Received 11 April 1986; accepted 30 June 1986
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 1987, Vol. 25: 255-261
OO28-825X/87/25O2-O255$2.5O/O © Crown copyright 1987

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (472K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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