Aerial seed banks protect seeds against granivores, help seed dispersal over time and maintain seeds in a favorable microhabitat. We hypothesized that the aerial seed bank in maternal tissues could protect halophyte seeds from lethal salinity effects of soils. Effects of aerial (in plant canopy) and room-temperature (lab) storage on subsequent germination behavior were assessed for two small-seeded halophytes: Halocnemum strobilaceum (known to be salt tolerant, with a short-term aerial seed bank -less than 9...

We investigated the dimorphic perianth colour of Salsola vermiculata and its association with seed germination percentage, interactions with temperature, light, salinity and recovery from prior salinity exposure. Seeds with and without pink and yellow perianth were incubated at three thermal regimes, two photoperiods, and five salinity levels. Germination recovery after salinity exposure was observed on seeds that failed to germinate during the salinity study. The germination percentage and rate were significantly related to the perianth...