Germination characteristics of Mountain Celery Aciphylla glacialis (F. Muell.) Benth. (Apiaceae)

The germination characteristics of Mountain Celery Aciphylla glaciaHs (Apiaceae) were investigated. This species failed to germinate in conditions that nine other alpine species from the same region found favourable. Seeds were collected from eight mountain peaks in the Victorian alpine zone. These peaks formed an altitudinal gradient of 302 m. The seeds were subjected to a cold-wet stratification treatment in an attempt to overcome what appeared to be seed dormancy. After approximately 15 weeks of the cold-wet stratification treatment, A. glacialis seeds began to germinate. Germination rates were fastest among seeds from the mid to high altitude sites, which also had the greatest percentage of seeds to germinate. Mt Speculation (1668 m) and Mt Bogong (1970 m) had the lowest percentage of germination from seeds collected in 2004. Among seeds collected in 2005, the lowest values were from Mt Bogong. Comparing seed collected in 2004 and 2005, there was no significant difference between final per cent germination from any site. There were no significant relationships between altitude and germination characteristics. There were several significant differences in the probability of seed germination between sites. However, there was no overall trend in the probability of seed germination between high and low altitude sites. The role of seed dormancy mechanisms in relation to the alpine environment is discussed and the role of altitudinal gradients in relation to seed germina-tion in this species is speculated upon.