Fruit growth and Seed Germination Characteristics of Nanophyton erinaceum : A Dominant Desert Shrub

Nanophyton erinaceum (Chenopodiaceae) is a dominant shrub in Junggar desert of Xinjiang, China. Fruit growth and its developmental characteristics were observed and the effects of temperature and salinity were analyzed on seed germination. The peak flowering period of N. erinaceum is from July 7th to 20th and the fruits grow slowly after flowering. It's fruits begin to grow rapidly since the end of August and mature in autumn (by the end of September or by the beginning of October). The perianths growing phase is the same as the fruit's growing stage and its length is double to fruit. The perianths protect young fruits from water evaporation by packaging. Its seeds (fruits) have wider range of optimum germination temperature, the germination percentage was more than 72% at all alternating temperatures, but there were significant differences among different alternating temperatures in seed germination, the optimal temperature to seed germination was 15/2 degrees C (100%), the sub-optimal temperature was 5/2 degrees C. The seeds have salinity tolerance during germination as they can germinate in various degree if NaCl concentrations <= 1.2 M. Salinity showed significant inhibitory effect in seed germination of this species and the germination percentage decreased with an increase in NaCl concentration. There was a strong negative relationship between germination percentage and salt concentration. However, after their transfer to distilled water, the ungerminated seeds in salt concentration showed low germination recovery (<59%).