Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Archive
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Index/Abstracts
  • Connect
    • Feedback
    • Help
  • Alerts
  • Other Publications
    • UWP
    • Ecological Restoration
    • Land Economics
    • Landscape Journal

User menu

  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
Native Plants Journal
  • Other Publications
    • UWP
    • Ecological Restoration
    • Land Economics
    • Landscape Journal
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart
Native Plants Journal

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Archive
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Index/Abstracts
  • Connect
    • Feedback
    • Help
  • Alerts
  • Follow uwp on Twitter
  • Visit uwp on Facebook
Research ArticlePropagation Protocol

Germination and propagation of Lithospermum canescens (Michx.) Lehm., a difficult-to-grow prairie species

David Sollenberger, Cathy Thomas and Louise Egerton-Warburton
Native Plants Journal, September 2022, 23 (3) 309-323; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/npj.23.3.309
David Sollenberger
Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022
Roles: Ecologist
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
Cathy Thomas
Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022
Roles: Plant Production Propagator
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
Louise Egerton-Warburton
Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022
Roles: Conservation Scientist, Soil and Mycorrhizal Ecology
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

Hoary puccoon (Lithospermum canescens (Michx.) Lehm. [Boraginaceae]), a common prairie species in high quality, dry to mesic prairie remnants, has been difficult to propagate in the nursery industry. Here, we explore approaches to identify viable seeds, germinate seeds, and cultivate healthy seedlings using both laboratory and greenhouse techniques. Acquiring viable seeds required locating source populations in which near-equal representations of both flower morphs (pin and thrum flowers) were present for this hetero-stylous species. Viable seeds appear to be restricted by plant resources so that the majority of pollinated flowers abort seed production to ensure viability of a lower number of seeds. Germination results in both laboratory and greenhouse experiments indicate that naturally dehiscent nutlets are most viable, and they are identifiable by the presence of a spur-like structure where the nutlet is attached to its receptacle. Large nutlets when the spur was broken in the cleaning process and small nutlets showed lower germination and no germination, respectively. Scarification did not improve germination despite reports of physical dormancy in other species of Lithospermum. Colonization of roots by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) may be key to the success of this species in cultivation. Plants grown with natural soil or soil plugs collected from L. canescens populations showed greater plant survival, vigor, and AMF root colonization than plants grown in commercial (bagged) or soil-less mixes.

KEY WORDS
  • seed germination
  • scarification
  • heterostyly
  • stratification
  • resource limitation
  • arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
  • Boraginaceae
NOMENCLATURE
  • USDA NRCS (2021)
View Full Text

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Log in using your username and password

Forgot your user name or password?

Log in through your institution

You may be able to gain access using your login credentials for your institution. Contact your library if you do not have a username and password.
If your organization uses OpenAthens, you can log in using your OpenAthens username and password. To check if your institution is supported, please see this list. Contact your library for more details.

Purchase access

You may purchase access to this article. This will require you to create an account if you don't already have one.
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Native Plants Journal: 23 (3)
Native Plants Journal
Vol. 23, Issue 3
21 Sep 2022
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Index by author
  • Front Matter (PDF)
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Native Plants Journal.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Germination and propagation of Lithospermum canescens (Michx.) Lehm., a difficult-to-grow prairie species
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Native Plants Journal
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Native Plants Journal web site.
Citation Tools
Germination and propagation of Lithospermum canescens (Michx.) Lehm., a difficult-to-grow prairie species
David Sollenberger, Cathy Thomas, Louise Egerton-Warburton
Native Plants Journal Sep 2022, 23 (3) 309-323; DOI: 10.3368/npj.23.3.309

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Germination and propagation of Lithospermum canescens (Michx.) Lehm., a difficult-to-grow prairie species
David Sollenberger, Cathy Thomas, Louise Egerton-Warburton
Native Plants Journal Sep 2022, 23 (3) 309-323; DOI: 10.3368/npj.23.3.309
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One
Bookmark this article

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • MATERIALS AND METHODS
    • RESULTS
    • DISCUSSION
    • RECOMMENDATIONS
    • SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
    • REFERENCES
  • Figures & Data
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Seed increase protocol for rabbit ears gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata ssp. weberi) and yellow Indian paintbrush (Castilleja flava var. flava)
  • Propagation by means of embryo excision for endangered clay phacelia ex situ seed production
Show more Propagation Protocol

Similar Articles

Keywords

  • seed germination
  • scarification
  • heterostyly
  • stratification
  • resource limitation
  • arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
  • Boraginaceae
  • USDA NRCS (2021)
UWP

© 2023 The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

Powered by HighWire