TY - JOUR T1 - Stratification and light promote germination of ratroot (<em>Acorus am</em><em>ericanus</em> (Raf.) Raf. [Acoraceae]) seeds harvested in northeastern Alberta JF - Native Plants Journal JO - NATIVE PLANTS JOURNAL SP - 19 LP - 22 DO - 10.3368/npj.16.1.19 VL - 16 IS - 1 AU - Ann Smreciu AU - Kimberly Gould AU - Stephanie Wood Y1 - 2015/03/20 UR - http://npj.uwpress.org/content/16/1/19.abstract N2 - Seeds of Acorus americanus (Raf.) Raf. (Acoraceae), or ratroot as it is commonly known, were harvested from 3 locations in each of 2 y and subjected to combinations of light and dark treatments, 30 d of stratification, 3 germination temperature regimes, and 4 storage durations (zero to 24 mo). When germinated under ambient conditions, we determined that light is required for germination and that stored seeds germinate better after stratification (moist conditions at 2–4 °C). Observations on ideal storage time and germination temperatures, however, were inconclusive. This species is an important plant for Aboriginal peoples of northern Canada, and it is included in oil sands mining reclamation efforts. ER -