Floating technique for germination

J.E. Shields jshields104@INSIGHTBB.COM
Wed, 20 Nov 2002 20:42:18 PST
I never had any luck germinating any of the papery amaryllid seeds until I
started using the floatation method.

However, when I try it on Cyrtanthus seeds -- which I generally have poor
luck germinating -- I get mixed results.  Some Cyrtanthus seeds do not
produce green shoots floating on water, while others do.  I have had good
luck with C. brachyscyphus, fair luck with C. breviflorus, and no luck with
several other species.

Is it possible that some Cyrtanthus species have a form of hypogeal
germination, forming a bulb and then going into a resting stage without
forming a green leaf until the next season? I've seen some Cyrtanthus seeds
float, sprout the radicle, and then sit there until they die.  I've also
planted some before they died and before there was any sign of a green
shoot -- they never came up.

Jim Shields
in central Indiana


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