The fire ephemeral Tersonia cyathiflora (Gyrostemonaceae) germinates in response to smoke but not the butenolide 3-methyl-2H-furo[2,3-c]pyran-2-one
Open Access
- 5 July 2010
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in Annals of Botany
- Vol. 106 (2), 381-384
- https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcq118
Abstract
Tersonia cyathiflora (Gyrostemonaceae) is a fire ephemeral with an obligate requirement for smoke to germinate. Whether it is stimulated to germinate by 3-methyl-2H-furo[2,3-c]pyran-2-one (karrikinolide, KAR1), the butenolide isolated from smoke that stimulates the germination of many other smoke-responsive species, is tested. Seeds of T. cyathiflora were buried in autumn following collection and were exhumed 1 year later, as this alleviates dormancy and enables seeds to germinate in response to smoke-water. Exhumed seeds were tested with smoke-water and KAR1. Fresh preparations of these solutions were again tested on seeds exhumed 2 months later under a broader range of conditions. They were also tested on Grevillea eriostachya (Proteaceae) and Stylidium affine (Stylidiaceae) to confirm the activity of KAR1. T. cyathiflora seeds germinated in response to smoke-water but not to KAR1. In contrast, G. eriostachya and S. affine germinated in response to both smoke-water and KAR1. Although many smoke-responsive seeds germinate in the presence of KAR1, this does not apply universally. This suggests that other chemical(s) in smoke-water may play an important role in stimulating the germination of certain species.Keywords
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