SEED OF CERCIS-SILIQUASTRUM L (LEGUMINOSAE, CAESALPINIOIDEAE) - RESERVES AND THEIR UTILIZATION AFTER GERMINATION

An ultrastructural study on the reserves stored in cotyledons and endo sperm and on their utilization after germination has been carried out in Cercis siliquastrum seeds. The observations have shown that all the cotyledonal reserves of proteins and lipids are used during seedling growth. However, inside the endosperm cells only the protein reserves are depleted, and large quantities of lipids remain undigested. In bot h cell walls and intercellular spaces of the endosperm cells huge mass es of polysaccharide reserves are stored. However, only the polysaccha rides inserted in the cell walls are dismantled, while those located i n the intercellular spaces are not attacked by the lytic enzymes. Some hypotheses regarding the possible roles of those endospermic non-nutr itional materials in the strategies of seed germination and seedling g rowth are suggested.