Plant Diversity ›› 2005, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (06): 657-662.

• Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Studies on Germination Characteristics and Storage Behavior of Trachycarpus fortunei Seeds

TANG An-Jun1 , 2 , LONG Chun-Lin1, DAO Zhi-Ling1 ,SONG Song-Quan3 , TIAN Mei-Hua2 ,3   

  1. 1 Kunming Institute of Botany , Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650204 , China; 2 Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039 , China; 3 Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden , Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla 666303 , China
  • Received:2005-02-22 Online:2005-10-25 Published:2005-10-25
  • Contact: LONG Chun-Lin

Abstract: Desiccation tolerance and storage behavior of Trachycarpus fortunei seeds were analyzed . Seeds of Trachycarpus fortunei from three localities were tested for germination following hermetic storage for 120 days at several different combinations of temperatures (4℃ and - 20℃) and moisture contents (based on dry weight ) , they showed that one of the main features is that the seeds of low water content are also easily injured by low temperatures . These results , therefore , point to the possibility of a third category of storage behavior intermediate between those of orthodox and recalcitrant seeds . The natural habitat of Trachycarpus fortunei , especially altitude , had significant effects on characteristics of seeds .

Key words: Trachycarpus fortunei