Seed germination of Peck’s penstemon

Peck’s penstemon (Penstemon peckii) is endemic to Oregon, occurring in only Deschutes and Jefferson counties.  It is considered a Sensitive Species by the US Forest Service, and a Species of Concern by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.  Most of its known occurrences are on the Deschutes National Forest. Previous research on the germination of the species has focused on the length of time seeds can remain viable in the seedbank, genetic variation, and the effects of light and darkness on seed germination.  Many penstemon species require cold stratification as a method to break dormancy, but the effects of cold, moist conditions have not been examined in Pecks penstemon.  Here we evaluate the effects of different periods of cold stratification on seeds from several different populations.