Abstract: By detecting the indicators of seeds such as the morphology and physiological characteristics within three consecutive years, the effects of different storage temperatures and time, and different media on seed germination of Tetracentron sinense were discussed, and also the endangered mechanism associated with biological characteristics of seeds was analyzed. The seeds of T.sinense were very small. No significant difference existed associated with seed morphology, 1000seed weight, water content and plumpness, except for water absorption rate among seeds from different year, and the water absorption rate of seeds from 2007 was the fastest. The TTC results showed that the percentage of seed vigor was close to zero, but the vigor index of seeds among different year was respectively 0, 041 and 027, which indicated that TTC was not suitable for the estimation of Tsinense seed vigor. After stored at lower temperature, the germination rate of these seeds was respectively 125%、965%、708%, and the germination force was 1%、598%、418%. With the increase of storage time, seeds vigor of three years would decrease gradually, but the loss rate of seed vigor from 2007 was the slowest compared with other years. After stored at room temperature, the seed vigor would decrease even faster with the increase of storage time, compared with that stored at lower temperature. Different media had a certain effect on seed germination and seedling growth. The results showed that seed vigor from an abundant year was better than that of off year, and would decrease even slower than that of off year with the increase of storage time. The storage at lower temperature was favorable to the maintenance of seed vigor. The reasons resulted in severe danger related to Tsinense seeds are as follows: (1) Small seeds contributed to the spread and dispersal of species, was not beneficial to the survival of seed and seedling. (2) Perennial low temperature was not suitable for seed germination and the formation of a seedling pattern; (3) Perennial moist environment was not suitable for seed living through cold period safely.

Key words: Tetracentron sinense