IN-VITRO FLOWERING AND PROPAGATION OF LEPTINELLA-NANA L, AN ENDANGERED PLANT

Leptinella nana L., an endangered New Zealand plant, was successfully micropropagated in a half strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 3% sucrose and no exogenous plant growth regulators. An in vitro multiplication rate of four to five plants per shoot subcultured every 3 weeks has been achieved. The plant cultures can be easily reintroduced to soil and grown under glasshouse conditions. Flowering occurred following subculture of the L. nana plants. This in vitro flowering capacity showed no sign of decline during 16 months of successive 3-weekly subcultures. Photoperiods, sucrose levels, and different MS salts do not appear to be the key controlling factors of the in vitro flowering process.