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

Festuca novae-zelandiae (Hack.) Cockayne is a widespread, perennial Ne w Zealand grass, occupying a range of habitats. A germination study wa s conducted using seeds from nine sites in North Canterbury to test fo r 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 pol ymorphic for germination response. Germination percentages were high i n all populations and decreased only slightly after storage of seeds. ANOVA tests indicated significant effects of temperature, light, and s eed age on percent germination and germination rate. Significant: inte ractions between these three factors and population indicate that diff erentiation in germination behaviour has occurred within F. novae-zela ndiae. Mean seed weight and the germination rate of fresh seeds was po sitively related to collection site altitude. Seeds from a distinct '' high altitude'' form of F. novae-zelandiae differed from other high al titude 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 mon ths storage. The germination behaviour of F. novae-zelandiae appears t o combine limited short-term risk-spreading with largely unspecialised germination requirements: in this, this species closely resembles oth er long-lived perennial grasses of temperate grasslands.