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From: Paul Tyerman <ptyerman at OZEMAIL.COM.AU>
Subject: Re: Arisaema dilatatum germination quandry
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At 01:07  26/01/05, you wrote:
>I was using the Deno method on the dilatatum seeds. I was hoping to see
>some kind of swelling or bursting through of the coat and formation of a
>small protocorm (prototuber). Kept the paper toweling clean and not too
>moist, not to warm and not too cool, but even so all but 5 seeds collaps=ed
>to husks. These remainders I put under some barely moist live sphagnum i=n
>a 2-inch pot on my cool, shaded kitchen windowsill so I can observe its
>moisture content daily.

Bonaventure,

-From what I've seen seed will stay indefinitely in the moist paper towel
if they're viable.  The only seed I have seen collapse appears to be seed
that was not viable in the first place.  I have had fungus take hold from
these squishy seeds, but the other seeds will remain solid and germinate
when they're ready to, which is why I think that the collapsed ones were
not viable in the first place.  If it was just a pathogen that destroyed
them then it would spread to the other seeds with the fungus I would thin=k?

So...... I would read your quandry as having non-viable seed to start wit=h
(or at least those ones that collapsed anyway).  Others will have much mo=re
experience than me though, so hopefully someone else will respond as well.

Hopefully this is of some help.


Cheers.

Paul Tyerman
Canberra, Australia.  USDA equivalent - Zone 8/9

Growing.... Galanthus, Erythroniums, Fritillarias, Trilliums, Cyclamen,
Crocus, Cyrtanthus, Oxalis, Liliums, Hellebores, Aroids, Irises plus just
about anything else that doesn't move!!!!!