Seed dormancy and longevity in Stipa tenacissima L. (Poaceae)

In the present paper we studied the life history traits related to seed germination of Stipa tenacissima, a key species in semiarid environments of western Mediterranean areas. S. tenacissima is a perennial tussock grass, which has traditionally been considered to expand mainly by vegetative propagation with little or no sexual reproduction. We analysed seed longevity as well as the type of seed dormancy and the role of the seed covers from seeds collected from different populations in SE Spain. We also studied the variation in seed germinability among populations, individuals, and years and the ability of seeds of S. tenacissima to form soil seed banks. There was significant variation in seed germination among individuals, populations and years. Lemma and palea were the main factor controlling these differences since their removal promoted higher and faster germination and eliminated the differences in germination parameters among populations. However, the control of dormancy by lemma and palea was independent of their weight, suggesting that their chemical nature plays a more important role than does size in controlling seed germination. Mechanical scarification treatments ( via abrasion with sand) did not affect seed germination. The decay in seed germinability two years after seed collection and the low density of viable seeds in soils one year after seed dispersal indicated that S. tenacissima forms transient soil seed banks.