VARIATION IN FESTUCA-NOVAE-ZELANDIAE (HACK) COCKAYNE GERMINATION BEHAVIOR WITH ALTITUDE OF SEED SOURCE

Festuca novae-zelandiae (Hack.) Cockayne is a widespread, perennial New Zealand grass, occupying a range of habitats. A germination study was conducted using seeds from nine sites in North Canterbury to test for environment-related differences in germination characteristics. Mean seed weight was determined for each seed collection, and germination rate and percentage germination tested for fresh, 6 month old, and 12 month old seeds (stored air-dried). Treatments were: (1) 25-degrees-C light-15-degrees-C dark; (2) 25-degrees-C dark/15-degrees-C dark; and (3) 15-degrees-C light/5-degrees-C dark. All seed collections were polymorphic for germination response. Germination percentages were high in all populations and decreased only slightly after storage of seeds. ANOVA tests indicated significant effects of temperature, light, and seed age on percent germination and germination rate. Significant: interactions between these three factors and population indicate that differentiation in germination behaviour has occurred within F. novae-zelandiae. Mean seed weight and the germination rate of fresh seeds was positively related to collection site altitude. Seeds from a distinct ''high altitude'' form of F. novae-zelandiae differed from other high altitude populations by showing more rapid germination in the 15-degrees-C/5-degrees-C temperature treatment. This difference was not apparent in the 25-degrees-C/15-degrees-C temperature treatment or after 6 months storage. The germination behaviour of F. novae-zelandiae appears to combine limited short-term risk-spreading with largely unspecialised germination requirements: in this, this species closely resembles other long-lived perennial grasses of temperate grasslands.