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Summary. Achenes of Chenopodium album are polymorphic; four categories can be recognized visually, brown‐smooth, brown‐reticulate, black‐smooth and black‐reticulate. All four types may be borne by one plant. The polymorphic seeds differ in germination requirements, responding differently to chilling and nitrate application. Dormant seeds contain at least one extractable germination inhibitor. The inhibitor fails to act in the presence of added nitrate. Nitrate is replaceable by some other nitrogen compounds and by chlorate. Nitrate application stimulates germination of C. album in soil. The ecological significance of seed polymorphism and the relevance of polymorphism to the interpretation of germination tests are briefly discussed.
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Williams et al. (1965) studied this question.
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