Germination Requirements Research Articles

Maximizing seed germination in five species of the genus Acacia (Fabaceae Mimosaceae)

Seeds of many tree-species possess a hard seed coat which is impervious to water. These seeds often take a long time to germinate, resulting in heterogeneity and a delay in seedlings development which is an inconvenience for reforestation success. The aim of the present work was to determine the possibilities to improve the germination of five leguminous trees of the genus Acacia that have been recorded in the arid and the desert region of Algeria using sulphuric acid. A duration of 30 min of immersion in sulphuric acid improved the seed germination up to 97.5% and 99% for A. albida and A. laeta, respectively. Increasing the time of immersion (from 30 to 90 min) improved the germination percentages for A. ehrenbergiana and A. seyal seeds to 92.5% and 93.7%, respectively. Increasing this duration to 120 min had a positive effect on A. tortilis seed germination, improving the final germination rate up to 97%. Understanding of seed Germination Requirements is very important for regeneration and successful tree establishment in forest nurseries as well as for direct plantation in arid and semi-arid lands.

Perianth and abiotic factors regulate seed germination of Haloxylon stocksii—A cash crop candidate for degraded saline lands

AbstractHaloxylon stocksii, a common succulent halophyte of saline flats in Pakistan and adjacent countries, is utilized as forage, washing soda, and medicines by the local people. In addition, its cultivation can also prevent land degradation by erosion and salinity. Given that information about its seed ecology is limited, this study aimed to unveil the germination requirements of H. stocksii seeds. Seed morpho‐physical features and effects of perianth persistence, salinity (0–500‐mM NaCl), photoperiod (12 hr light/12 hr dark and 24 hr dark), thermoperiod (10/20°C, 15/25°C, 20/30°C, and 25/35°C), and osmotic stress (0 to −4.29 MPa) on germination and recovery were studied. Presence of perianth caused reductions both in imbibition and germination compared to seeds with perianth removed. Seeds germinated optimally under moderate (20/30°C) than lower (10/20°C and 15/25°C) and higher (25/35°C) temperatures. Under 24 hr dark seed germination was ~20% lower than that in 12‐hr photoperiod at 20/30°C and in distilled water. NaCl increment decreased germination, and only ~20% seeds germinated in the highest NaCl concentration. Ungerminated seeds, when shifted from salt solution to distilled water, showed high recovery of germination. Polyethylene glycol treatment also reduced germination, which was comparable with NaCl treatments. However, polyethylene glycol‐treated seeds showed low recovery, unlike NaCl‐treated seeds. Our data unveil that seeds of H. stocksii germinate optimally upon removal of perianth, under moderate temperature, in absence of salinity and/or osmotic stresses. This study thus provides essential baseline information for mass‐scale cultivation and conservation of H. stocksii in degraded arid‐saline areas.

Limited directed seed dispersal in the canopy as one of the determinants of the low hemi-epiphytic figs' recruitments in Bornean rainforests.

Ficus species are keystone plants in tropical rainforests, and hemi-epiphytic figs play a notably important role in forest ecosystems. Because hemi-epiphytic figs have strict germination requirements, germination and establishment stages regulate their populations. Despite the ecological importance of hemi-epiphytic figs in the rainforests, seed dispersal systems by fig-eating animals under natural conditions remain unknown because of the difficulty in tracing the destiny of dispersed seeds in the canopy. Therefore, seed dispersal effectiveness (SDE) has never been evaluated for hemi-epiphytic figs. We evaluated the SDE of hemi-epiphytic figs using qualitative and quantitative components by three relatively large-sized (> 3 kg) arboreal and volant animals in Bornean rainforests that largely depend on fig fruits in their diets: binturongs Arctictis binturong, Mueller’s gibbons Hylobates muelleri, and helmeted hornbills Rhinoplax vigil. The SDE values of binturongs was by far the highest among the three study animals. Meanwhile, successful seed dispersal of hemi-epiphytic figs by gibbons and helmeted hornbills is aleatory and rare. Given that seed deposition determines the fate of hemi-epiphytic figs, the defecatory habits of binturongs, depositing feces on specific microsites in the canopy, is the most reliable dispersal method, compared to scattering feces from the air or upper canopy. We showed that reliable directed dispersal of hemi-epiphytic figs occurs in high and uneven canopy of Bornean rainforests. This type of dispersal is limited to specific animal species, and therefore it may become one of the main factors regulating low-success hemi-epiphytic fig recruitment in Bornean rainforests.

Germination niche breadth and potential response to climate change differ among three North American perennials

Responses of species to environmental change are largely dependent on their niche breadth. To investigate the relationship between germination niche breadth and sensitivity to climate change, we selected three North American perennials: Physalis longifolia, Asclepias syriaca and Penstemon digitalis. Dormancy loss and germination requirements were determined for seeds from populations along a Midwest US latitudinal gradient. Fresh seeds were incubated at 1, 5, 9, 15/6, 20/10, 25/15 and 30/15°C, and seeds cold stratified at 1, 5 and 9°C for 4–12 weeks were incubated at 15/6, 20/10, 25/15 and 30/15°C. Germination niche breadth (Levins’ Bn) was calculated from final germination proportion. In addition, a sequence of temperatures evaluated the effect of future warming on germination phenology. Germination differed significantly among populations and collection latitudes (P < 0.001), but variation did not have a latitudinal pattern. Niche breadth was widest for Physalis and Asclepias and narrowest for Penstemon (P ≤ 0.05), with implications for germination phenology. Germination shifted to autumn for Physalis and Asclepias under future warming in northern collection regions, and shifted earlier in spring for Penstemon regardless of region. Due to limited stratification and germination requirements, resulting in the narrowest niche breadth, we initially predicted Penstemon to be most at-risk, as future warming would fall outside its stratification envelope. However, species with wide niche breadths (Physalis and Asclepias) may be more vulnerable to climate change due to maladaptive shifts in germination phenology.

Germination characteristics and the relationship between population structure, soil seed bank density and fire response in the rare endemic Stachystemon vinosus (Halford &amp; R.J.F.Hend.) (Euphorbiaceae) from southern Western Australia

AbstractThe regeneration niche defines the specific environmental requirements of the early phases of a plant's life cycle. It is critical for the long-term persistence of plant populations, particularly for obligate seeders that are highly vulnerable to stochastic events in fire-prone ecosystems. Here, we assessed germination characteristics and the relationship between population structure, soil seed bank density and fire response in Stachystemon vinosus (Euphorbiaceae), a rare endemic shrub from Western Australia, from burnt and long unburnt habitats. Many plants in long unburnt habitat were similar in size to those in recently burnt habitat. Soil seed bank density was related to plant abundance and fire history with density lower in burnt than unburnt sites. Thus, inter-fire recruitment may play a critical role in the requirements of the study species. To assess the dormancy status and germination requirements we used a ‘move-along’ experiment with temperatures from six seasonal phases of the year. Seeds were incubated under light and dark conditions, with and without smoked water, and with and without dry after-ripening. Germination was most effective when seeds were treated with smoked water and incubated in the dark at temperatures resembling autumn/winter conditions. After-ripening increased germination in light and dark incubated seeds in the absence of smoked water but was unnecessary for optimal germination in smoked water treated seeds. Irrespective of treatment, seeds showed a requirement for cooler temperatures for germination. These results suggest that rising temperatures and changes in fire regime associated with global warming may alter future germination responses of Stachystemon vinosus.

Germination ecology of the aromatic halophyte Artemisia caerulescens L.: influence of abiotic factors and seed after-ripening time

Artemisia caerulescens L. is a rare aromatic perennial shrub growing in saline or brackish environments of the central and western part of the Mediterranean region. On the other hand, despite its distribution in unstable and highly selective environments such as salt marshes, no data are available on its ecological adaptability or on its growth strategy. In an effort to fill these gaps, we performed three experiments in order to evaluate the effects of selected environmental abiotic factors on the seed germination of A. caerulescens. In the first experiment, we determined the effect of different temperatures, photoperiod regimes and salinity on the germination of 120 days old seeds. Secondly, we tested the germination behaviour of the seeds in relation to seed after-ripening time and salinity. The results showed that a temperature regime of 10/20°C and a photothermoperiod of 12/12 h were optimal conditions for seed germination. Salinity affected the final germination rate and mean time to germination. Until 60 days of after-ripening, the seeds exhibited a primary dormancy state. Then, their germination performance was affected by seed after-ripening time and salinity. The data obtained in this study allow us to outline a fairly accurate picture of the ecological requirements of A. caerulescens during germination and of the degree of viability of its seeds at least in the first year of their life. The significant different susceptibility of the seeds to salinity leads to the conclusion that the spread of this species by seeds strongly depends on soil salinity fluctuations. Knowledge of optimal germination requirements could also be useful for the possible use of plant seeds as propagation material in restoration and biodiversity conservation programmes.

Thermal time requirements for germination of four subterranean clover cultivars

ABSTRACT In vitro germination tests were performed at 11 constant temperatures (range 2.5–35°C) to quantify the maximum germination percentage and germination rate of four subterranean clover cultivars (‘Antas’, ‘Denmark’, ‘Monti’ and ‘Narrikup’). These were used to estimate their cardinal temperatures, base (Tb ), optimum (T opt) and maximum (Tmax) and the thermal time requirements for seed germination. Germination percentages were ≥ 88% in the 5–25°C temperature range for all cultivars. The time to reach 50% of final germination (T 50) decreased from 12 to 2 days as the temperature increased from 2.5 to 17.5°C. The determined T opt were 16°C for ‘Monti’ and ‘Narrikup’ and 22°C for ‘Antas’ and ‘Denmark’. At a common Tb of 0°C the thermal time requirements for T 50 were 32 ± 1°Cd for ‘Antas’ and ‘Denmark’ and 39 ± 1°Cd for ‘Narrikup’ and ‘Monti’. ‘Antas’ and ‘Denmark’ (both from Italy) germinated at the widest range of temperatures.

Deep and intermediate complex morphophysiological dormancy in seeds of Ferula gummosa (Apiaceae)

AbstractWe tested the hypothesis that seeds of the monocarpic perennial Ferula gummosa from the Mediterranean area and central Asia have deep complex morphophysiological dormancy. We determined the water permeability of seeds, embryo morphology, temperature requirements for embryo growth and seed germination and responses of seeds to warm and cold stratification and to different concentrations of GA3. The embryo has differentiated organs, but it is small (underdeveloped) and must grow inside the seed, reaching a critical embryo length, seed length ratio of 0.65–0.7, before the seed can germinate. Seeds required 9 weeks of cold stratification at &lt;10°C for embryo growth, dormancy break and germination to occur. Thus, seeds have morphophysiological dormancy (MPD). Furthermore, GA3 improved the germination percentage and rate at 5°C and promoted 20 and 5% germination of seeds incubated at 15 and 20°C, respectively. Thus, about 20% of the seeds had intermediate complex MPD. For the other seeds in the seed lot, cold stratification (5°C) was the only requirement for dormancy break and germination and GA3 could not substitute for cold stratification. Thus, about 80% of the seeds had deep complex MPD.

Intraspecific variation in seed germination and storage behaviour of Cordia tree species of subtropical montane forests of Argentina: Implications for ex situ conservation

Cordia americana, C. saccelia and C. trichotoma are native trees of the subtropical Andean forests of Argentina. Due to their high value as a wood source, these species are under threat from the over-exploitation of their populations and from changes in land use. Knowledge of seed biology may contribute to clarifying their regeneration ecology and establishing management policies and conservation programmes. We studied seed mass, seed germination, seed desiccation tolerance and seed storage behaviour in seeds from different populations of each species. Seed mass differed among the populations of each species. For C. americana and C. saccelia, germination percentages (GP) varied among populations and light and temperature conditions. For all species and populations, GP was not affected by seed population or desiccation treatments, but the time to germination (t50) increased after drying. GP decreased and t50 increased in seeds stored with 8–10% MC at 35 °C for three months for all species and populations. Seeds stored with 8–10% MC at 20 °C and with 3–5% MC at 35 °C also showed deterioration depending on the species. Differences in germination requirements, desiccation tolerance and storage behaviour were not related to seed mass. These results indicate that (1) all Cordia species seeds show orthodox storage behaviour, (2) both moisture content and temperature are key factors in Cordia seed storage and (3) some populations within a species are more sensitive to desiccation and storage conditions than others. Thus, these species and populations could be preserved in seed banks, but the germination, desiccation and storage behaviour variability among populations must be considered before germination and storage protocols are established. This information will be very useful for designing restoration, reforestation, plant propagation and in situ and ex situ conservation programmes for these Cordia species.

Seed germination requirements of relictic and broadly-distributed populations of Chaerophyllumaureum (Apiaceae): connecting ecophysiology and genetic identity

The main goal of this work was to relate the germinative ecology and genetic variability of Chaerolhyllum aureum L., an Apiaceae plant with dormant, underdeveloped embryos at the time of seed dispersal. We compared the seed germination physiology traits between a relictic geographically isolated Mediterranean population (Iberian System; central Spain) and a population located in the main, colder Atlantic Alpine core (Pyrenees; northern Spain). We analyzed both populations? genetic identity in parallel on the basis of ISSR?PCR analyses. Stratification, gibberellin treatment, and seed storage tests showed that C. aureum seeds have deep complex morphophysiological dormancy. The Iberian System population seeds required shorter cold stratification than the Pyrenees population seeds (16 vs. 20 weeks) to germinate. The genetic analyses suggested closer similarity between Iberian System individuals and those from the Pyrenees requiring shorter cold periods to germinate. Our findings denote a consistent parallelism between germination physiology and genetic identity. The records from these germination and genetic analyses suggested selective pressure due to the climate differences between the two geographical regions. Thus, the individuals in the Iberian System population would have been selected from the original pool to a shorter cold-stratification requiring ecotype.

Inhibitory effect of rosemary essential oil, loaded in liposomes, on seed germination of Acacia saligna, an invasive species in Mediterranean ecosystems

Acacia saligna (Labill.) Wendl. is native of southwestern Australia, but has been planted extensively in many areas of the world, including the Mediterranean region, becoming highly invasive especially in coastal habitats. The aim of this study was to test whether the indigenous Rosmarinus officinalis L. essential oil (EO), loaded in liposomes, can inhibit the seed germination of the invasive alien Acacia saligna. Variability in seed germination requirements and responses among populations were evaluated. Germination tests under light, at constant temperatures and three concentrations of rosemary EO were carried out. Among the examined factors, only the EO amount and temperature had a highly significant effect on seed germination. The lowest EO quantity did not show differences compared with the control, while the highest amount inhibited significantly seed germination of all populations at all the tested temperatures. No seed recovered the ability to germinate after the EO treatment with either of the two washing methods. Our results allowed us to identify the minimum amount of rosemary EO capable of inhibiting the seed germination of the invasive Acacia saligna. These results could be useful for the control of this invasive alien species, thus allowing the conservation of indigenous Mediterranean plant species and habitats.

Seed Germination Variation among Crop Years from a Pinus sylvestris Clonal Seed Orchard

Maternal effects were assessed by germinating seeds sourced over multiple years from the same cloned mother trees, comparing germination capacity and rate between crop years. The relationships between climatic variables, seed characteristics and germination capacity were determined, and thermal time parameters were used to predict seed dormancy release and germination under the climatic conditions in the year after seed collection. There were significant differences in seed weight (P &lt; 0.05), seed length and embryo occupancy (both P &lt; 0.001) among crop years. Temperature during the seed development period explained 70% of the variation in seed weight and 63% of the variation in embryo occupancy. Germination capacity was significantly (P &lt;0.001) different among crop years, among temperatures and among chilling durations, and thermal time requirements for germination increased from older (2007) to younger (2012) seeds. The mean base temperature without chilling was 7.1°C, while after chilling it was 4.6°C and 3.6°C for four and eight weeks chilling respectively. The mean thermal time to 50% germination without chilling was 135.1°Cd, while after chilling it was 118.3°Cd and 154.0°Cd for four and eight weeks chilling respectively. This experiment demonstrates that year-to-year differences in the environment experienced by mother trees during seed maturation can affect seed germination characteristics.

Managing lettuce seed quality through nitrogen nutrition in soilless production

The commercial value of vegetable seeds has increased during the last decades, which has turned seed production into a specialized horticultural activity. Soilless production has been adopted by some seed producers mainly because of sanitary reasons. An additional advantage of soilless culture would be the possibility of managing plant nutrition with the objective of producing more vigorous seeds. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the effects of specific nutritional changes on seed quality attributes, such as vigor or longevity. In the present study, the effect of N supply during growth of the mother plant on quality parameters in lettuce seeds was evaluated. Two experiments in consecutive seasons were established in a greenhouse located under Mediterranean climate conditions in Santiago, Chile. Plants were subjected to N concentrations ranging from 1 to 30 mM. At harvest, seed production (number of seeds per inflorescence and seed weight), seed germination, vigor and longevity were evaluated. Results indicate that seed production is reduced at N concentrations higher than 10 mM, while seed quality start decreasing at N concentrations higher than 5 mM. No differences were observed in seed productivity between 1 and 5 mM, but seed longevity was improved when produced under 5 mM. Seed light requirement for germination decreases with increasing N supply, however this positive effect coupled with a reduction in germination speed and longevity.

Seed germination ecology of Alexandra palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae) and its implication on invasiveness

Biological invasions are occurring worldwide, causing enormous economic and ecological damage. Early detection and prediction of invasiveness are the most effective measures to reduce its damage. The Alexandra palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae) is a prolific seeder and an alien species widely planted in tropical China. To help understand the invasion risks posed by this species, lab and field experiments on seed germination were conducted. Results show that the seeds only germinate within a temperature range of 20–30 °C and are sensitive to desiccation and high temperature, with seedling inhibition at 35 °C and −0.8 MPa. Complete viability loss was observed after desiccation to water content of 0.17–0.21 g/g or heat treatment for 30 minutes at 60 °C and above. However, appropriate habitats such as the rainforest understory, forest gaps, forest edges, and a rubber plantation are present in Xishuangbanna. Seeds are also frequently consumed by animals; therefore, there is a high potential for Alexandra palm to become an invasive species in Xishuangbanna. Currently, the main barrier to invasion in Xishuangbanna is likely to be the need for seed dispersal into suitable moist, partly shaded, habitats. Understanding the requirements for germination of the Alexandra palm can better inform management strategies for the control of this species.

Native leguminous plants for mineland revegetation in the eastern Amazon: seed characteristics and germination

For the effective use of native plants for mineland revegetation, an understanding of seed dormancy break and germination requirements, and seed storage tolerance is indispensable. In the present study, eight native species (Bauhinia pulchella, Bauhinia longipedicellata, Dioclea apurensis, Mimosa camporum, Mimosa acutistipula var. ferrea, Mimosa pudica, Parkia platycephala, and Stryphnodendron pulcherrimum) from the metalliferous savannas (cangas) and forests of Carajas Mineral Province, eastern Amazon-Brazil, were studied to determine seed size, seed quality (X-ray and tetrazolium tests), germination, and dormancy break requirements (boiling water, acid and mechanical scarification), and seed storage behavior. Our results showed considerable variation in seed size and percentage germination among the species. There was a strong relationship between seed size and germination, and the germination was greater for larger seeds from forests than smaller seeds from canga. All three scarification methods increased germination of M. camporum and M. acutistipula var. ferrea. Seeds of D. apurensis, M. acutistipula var. ferrea, M. pudica, and P. platycephala did not show a significant decline in germination after storage, indicating possible orthodox behavior. In contrast, B. pulchella, B. longipedicellata, M. camporum, and S. pulcherrimum showed behavior typical of recalcitrant or intermediate seeds since the germination of these species was reduced after storage. Further studies addressing seed dormancy break and seed storage in other native species are encouraged for a better use of native species in mineland revegetation.

Seed germination of Carex lainzii Luceño, E. Rico &amp; T. Romero: An endemic Spanish endangered species

Abstract. Ribeiro KAF, Madeira de Medeiros C, Agudo JAS, Sánchez JS. 2019. Seed germination of Carex lainzii Luceño, E. Rico &amp; T. Romero: An endemic Spanish endangered species. Biodiversitas 20: xxxx. Strategies to halt the decline of biodiversity include: in-situ and ex-situ conservation, the latter already considered at the global level essential in conservation programs. The results of the germinative responses of Carex lainzii Luceño, E. Rico &amp; T. Romero (Cyperaceae), an endemic Spanish endangered species, are presented in this work, to different trials carried out in the laboratory with seeds harvested in the two known populations of that community. Treatments with and without 0.2% potassium nitrate (KNO3) were tested for four, six and eight months in cold stratification at 5 °C in two germination chambers at different temperatures (22/10 °C and 27/15 °C with a photoperiod of 12/12 hours). The results indicate that there is a large difference in germination rates between the two populations. The use of KNO3 did not increase germination rates in any case, but differences were found between periods of cold stratification, with six months being the most effective. On the other hand, the germination rates of both populations remain low (17.58% and 2%) compared to the obtained rate of seed viability. With this first approach to the understanding of the germination requirements of C. lainzii, it becomes clear that new essays are needed to obtain better results, in order to effectively implement the protection plans of C. lainzii populations.

The importance of fire season when managing threatened plant species: A long-term case-study of a rare Leucopogon species (Ericaceae)

Implemented burns are a primary source of fire in natural systems and occur outside of the wildfire season. However, the impacts of fire season shift on native plant species are rarely studied. Understanding fire season effects are particularly important for managing threatened species, which are often the focus of managed burns. To assess the impacts of fire seasonality and identify potential limiting traits, I studied the threatened Leucopogon exolasius and two common congeners, all of which persist via fire-driven population dynamics. All species were monitored over a 16 year period to assess seedling survival, growth and primary juvenile period after fire. For L. exolasius and the common L. esquamatus, comparisons of survival, growth and maturation were made after winter and summer fires, to assess the effects of season of burn. A key difference was found in primary juvenile period, which was exceptionally long for L. exolasius (>11 years for 80% of the population to flower) compared to the common congeners (3.2–7.57 years). Seasonal seed dormancy mechanisms meant that winter fires delayed emergence, leading to increases in primary juvenile period for both species. A long primary juvenile period may limit L. exolasius population persistence because plants are more likely to be killed by subsequent fire before maturation, while seasonal dormancy cues is a trait that would exacerbate the effects of this interval squeeze. In fire-prone systems, fire frequency is the key factor assumed to drive persistence, however, interactions with fire season can influence recruitment success. There are scant data on recruitment variation in response to fire seasonality, a factor that may have broad implications for rare and common species with seasonal germination requirements.

Poredenje metoda za ispitivanje klijavosti semena Cannabis sativa

The most critical aspect of plant survival and reproduction is seed germination. Considering the specificity of the Cannabis sativa production, obtaining high-quality hemp seed is not an easy task. Germination testing is often the most reliable way of assessing viability, but the selection of appropriate methods is complex. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different conditions (i.e. various methods of germination testing) on the successful process of hemp seed germination, achieving maximum germination potential. Our results showed that C. sativa seeds germinated well in different methods, such as between filter papers, top of filter papers and sand, but there were significant differences between the applied methods. This means that the hemp seeds may have different requirements for germination than conditions covered by the Rules recommended methods. Further, the results show that hemp seed may have certain residual dormancy that needs to be investigated in detail.

Overcoming lag phase: do regenerative attributes onset Acacia dealbata spread in a newly invaded system?

Ecological theory predicts that the success of exotic plants in new environments depends on a combination of ecological attributes. Requirements for germination and seedling traits are the main components in the regenerative niche, and largely determine the success of exotic species in a new environment. Acacia dealbata Link is an Australian species with a great invasive potential. In Chaco Mountains (central Argentina), it seems to be undergoing a lag phase, as some local dominance in the form of dense monospecific patches has been recorded, although restricted to few disperse populations. In the present study we assessed which functional traits would allow this global invader to successfully overcome its lag phase, and what conditions could benefit or limit this process. Imbibition and germination experiments were designed, and included four temperature regimes in light and in continuous darkness. Additionally, germination response to light quality and simulation fire experiment was also conducted. Further, soil samples were taken to determine the size of the soil seed bank, and a morpho-functional characterisation of seedlings was conducted. Despite the absence of a consistent fire-stimulated germination response, our findings were in line with generalist germination requirements. Physical seed dormancy, large seed bank, broad temperature and light germination requirements, and fast-growing seedlings make this species a potential invader in this mountain system, and suggest that these regenerative attributes might help A. dealbata to overcome its present lag phase. Findings show that the efficiency of management decreases and the related economic cost increases as the time since invasion increases, so early intervention will be key in preventing spread of this species thorough this mountain region.

Dormancy and germination of Firmiana danxiaensis, an endangered tree endemic to South China

Firmiana danxiaensis (Malvaceae) is a rare and endemic tree of South China. It has a very narrow distribution with only two extant populations in the wild. The aim of this study was to understand the nature of its seed dormancy, how to break the dormancy and the environmental requirements for the natural germination of its seeds. To identify whether seeds of F. danxiaensis are dormant, germination experiments with 12 treatments (three light levels &amp;times; four temperatures) were conducted. To determine the optimal way to break dormancy, we conducted the dormancy-breaking experiment with five treatments, including physical and chemical methods. The results showed that the dormancy of F. danxiaensis seeds was associated with a water-impermeable seed coat, i.e., the seeds have physical dormancy. Soaking the seeds in 98% concentrated sulphuric acid for one hour overcame the physical dormancy and enabled imbibition followed by germination (up to 73%). Once dormancy was broken, F. danxiaensis seeds could germinate over a wide range of temperatures in both light and darkness. The results suggest that ex situ conservation and reintroduction of F. danxiaensis might be achieved by sowing acid-treated seeds at restoration sites at the appropriate time of year.