New Zealand Journal of Botany abstracts
Seed biology of Metrosideros excelsa (Myrtaceae)
Gabriele Schmidt-Adam*
Kevin S. Gould
Brian G. Murray
School of Biological Sciences
The University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland, New Zealand
* Present address: Institute of Molecular BioSciences, Massey University, Private Bag 102 904, North Shore Mail Centre, Auckland, New Zealand. Email: g.schmidt-adam@massey.ac.nz
Abstract Mature seed capsules of pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa) contain a mixture of filled (embryo-containing) and unfilled (embryo-lacking) seeds. Both types of seeds were characterised with respect to their dimensions, weight, viability, and their germination rate under two different storage regimes. Filled seeds have a lower length/width ratio, and are approximately 25% heavier than unfilled seeds. Treatment of seeds with 1% tetrazolium chloride at 37°C resulted in staining of all filled, but no unfilled seeds. There was no difference in the numbers of filled seeds occupying the top, centre, and basal portions of capsules, and filled seeds were randomly disposed on the placenta. The germination rate of filled seeds was 99% upon harvesting and still exceeded 90% after one year of storage at +1°C. When stored at room temperature, this rate decreased to 58% after 6 months and there was no germination after one year of storage.
Keywords fertile seeds; filled seeds; germination; infertile seeds; seed dimensions; pohutukawa; unfilled seeds; viability
B02018 Received 28 February 2002; accepted 17 June 2002; published 11 September 2002
New Zealand Journal of Botany, 2002, Vol. 40: 419-425
0028-825X/02/4003-0419 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2002
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