Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2017
Seed and tubers and dwarf spikerush [Eleocharis coloradoensis (Britt.) Gilly] survived extremely cold and hot temperatures if damp-dried before exposure. Damp-dried seed survived 14 days exposure to −196 C and 21 days exposure to 72 C, and then germinated 59 and 24%, respectively. Seed submersed in water germinated 20% when exposed to −15 C for 30 days and 4% when exposed to 60 C for 3 days. When damp-dried seed were warmed at 37 C for 21 days the germination was nearly twice that for wet seed treated similarly. Tubers that were damp-dried before exposure survived −196 C for 14 days and 49 C for 21 days and then germinated 20 and 49%, respectively. Tubers that were exposed wet to hot or cold temperatures were killed at less extreme temperatures than seed. None of the tubers exposed wet survivied −15 C for 30 days or 49 C for 3 days.