VoLUMK IX AUGU8T, 1918 Paet I 



BURIED WEED SEEDS. 



By UfNIFKED E. BRENCHLEY, D.Sc. ^fcw v,>^k 



(RfAhfirmled Experimenlal Stalion.) •♦^TamcaL 



fiAWDEM. 



The seeds of many species of plants have a habit of germinating in un- 

 expected places under various conditions, and the question of the vitality 

 of seeds is one that has frequently engaged the attention of scientists. 

 It has often been claimed that seeds obtained from old pyramids and 

 sepulchres have germinated when placed in favourable circumstances, 

 but BecquereU states that strict enquiry and experiment show that 

 authentic seeds of such origin will not germinate, but that the seeds so 

 obtained which do germinate have proved to be frauds inserted by the 

 fellaheen for the sake of gain. Various writers (quoted by Becquerel) have 

 claimed the power of germination for seeds buried for very long periods. 

 Michelet claimed that seeds of Galium amjlicutn, buried .30(X) years ago 

 in the valley of Doubs, had retained their power of growth; von Held- 

 reich, that Glnucium Serpieri from land covered by excavated scoriae 

 loCX) years ago, was still viable; much doubt, however, has been thrown 

 on the authenticity of such seeds. 



Information of this kind is of comparatively little value as evidence, 

 as there is no definite proof of the time at which the seed actually reached 

 its position or of the way in which it was transported. More satisfactory 

 evidence has been obtained by the attempted germination of seeds of 

 known age by various observers. Becquerel quotes experiments in which 

 500 species of seeds were sown, some of which were nearly 200 years old. 

 Only four families gave any germination, Leguminosae, Nelumbtaceae, 

 Malvaceae, Lafnalae. 



Leguminosae. 18 species germinated out of 90 sown. Ages 28-87 years. 

 Nelumbiaccac. .'J species germinatwl. Ages I S-.5ti years. 



Malvaceae. 1 species (Lavitera pseu/Jo-Mia) germinated out of 15 sown. Age 64 years. 

 Labiatae. 1 species (Stachys nepetaefolia) germinated out of 14 gown. Age 77 years. 



' Becquerel, P., " Recherches sur la vie latente des graines " Ann. des Set. Nat., Bot. 

 1907, 5, pp. 193-311. 



Journ. of Agric. .Sci. ix 1 



