Chatham Island forget-me-not (Myosotidium hortensia (Decne.) Ballon) is endemic to the Chatham Islands, New Zealand,
where it is now restricted to the outer islands. The germination behaviour of seed of Myosotidium hortensia is poorly understood
with some reports suggesting the seed will germinate readily if fresh but others describing the germination as erratic.
There is also speculation in the literature that the seed may be recalcitrant. Seed of Myosotidium hortensia was evaluated for
recalcitrant behaviour by determining if desiccation to low seed moisture content (SMC) caused a loss of viability. Seed
was harvested at two moisture contents, 47 % (green seed) and 36 % (dark brown or black seed), and air dried to a final
moisture content of 7.5 %. As moisture content declined seed viability and germination were monitored. At 7.5 %
SMC, viability was 82 % and germination 78 % for seed harvested at 36 % SMC, and 89 % and 92 %, respectively, for
seed harvested at 47 % SMC. Seed placed on a temperature gradient plate at a range of temperatures showed less than
5 % germination after 11 weeks. However removal of the seed coat allowed germination to reach 88 % within two
weeks. To determine how the coat imposes dormancy a series of dormancy-breaking treatments were applied to seed.
Treatments that weakened the coat were most effective in allowing germination to proceed. The likely dormancy
mechanisms in Myosotidium hortensia are discussed.