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Studies on the Structure, Afterripening and Cytochemistry of Seeds in Eleutherococcus brachypus Harms

TIAN Guo-Wei, WANG Zhong-Li, LIU Lin-De, SHEN Jia-Heng   

  • Received:1900-01-01 Revised:1900-01-01 Online:1998-03-10 Published:1998-03-10
  • Contact: TIAN Guo-Wei

Abstract:

Seeds of Eleutherococcus brachypus Harms were flat-kidney-shaped and their seed
coats were only composed of one layer of cells. Embryos with abundant protein in their cells
were just at the heart-shaped stage and were capped by sacs formed from degenerating en-
dosperm cells when seeds shed from their maternal plants. A large amount of stored protein
grains and lipids existed in endosperm cells but no polysaccharide grains were present either
in endosperm cells or in embryo cells. Viable seeds were only 9.27% of the total. The plump
seeds germinated in the cultivated field after 18～19 months and their germinating rate was
1.67%. Besides, the content of protein decreased gradually and a few polysaccharide grains
were stored in embryo cells during the process. The afterripening process of seeds stratified
at different temperatures ended after 6 months and the cytochemistry features of the seeds
were that the content of protein decreased gradually and numerous polysaccharide grains had
been stored in embryo cells at the late heart-shaped embryo stage and retained till the mature
embryo stage. The structure, afterripening and cytochemistry of seeds were compared be-
tween Eleutherococcus brachypus and Eleutherococcus senticosus. The poor quality of the
seeds, longer time of afterripening in a natural state and much lower germination rate of E.
brachypus are considered to be important reasons for the endangerment of this species. Some
measures are suggested for its conservation based on the above facts.

Key words: Eleutherococcus brachypus Harms, Seed structure；Afterripening, Cytochem-

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