Seedling morphology in the tribus Anemoneae DC. (Ranunculaceae)

Seedling morphology of nearly one hundred species of tribus Anemoneae was i nvestigated. Two morphologically different seedling types could be recogniz ed with intermediate forms in between. Type 1 is characterized by epigeal, dicotylous seedlings with a short cotyledonary sheath protecting the plumul e. Hypocotyl and primary root are well developed. Primary leaves are altern ate. Type 2 comprises dicotylous seedlings with hypogeal germination. Plumu le and cotyledons persist below soil surface or leaf litter. Primary leaves are alternate in Anemone, but opposite cataphylls occur in Clematis. Hypoc otyl is short to invisible. Primary root is well developed. Both types occur in Anemone and Clematis. In Hepatica only type I seedlings could be found. In Pulsatilla most of the investigated seedlings belong to type 1. However, in sect. Preonanthus seedlings show an intermediate morph ology by forming a long cotyledonary sheath with the plumule in soil. Only the laminae of the cotyledons and the upper part of the cotyledonary tube a ppear above the soil surface. First leaves are alternately inserted. They b reak through the base of the petiolary tube during their growth. The same m orphology could be found in Anemone sect. Omalocarpus. Anemone apennina and A. blanda have monocotylous seedlings. The cotyledonar y blade is bifid already in the young embryo. The plumule comes below soil surface by positive geotropical growth of the cotyledonary petiole. Some mo nocotylous seedlings occur among normally dicotylous species in Anemone, Pu lsatilla and Clematis. Often the single lamina is bifid, too. Alteration in seedling morphology in relation to environmental changes is d iscussed.