Title: Sexual and Vegetative Propagation of Hypericum empetrifolium Willd. subsp. empetrifolium
Abstract: Hypericum empetrifolium Willd. subsp. empetrifolium is an evergreen small shrub with small elongated decorative leaves and small yellow flowers in inflorescences, characterized for several pharmaceutical properties. In the present study, a first approach on the sexual and asexual propagation of this species was performed. Seeds, subjected to different types of pre-treatments [soaked in tap water; 50, 100 or 150 mg L-1 GA3 for 30 min and no treatment (control)], cultured for germination in petri dishes at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C. Seed germination was only affected by temperature and the best result was obtained at 15 °C (71.2%). A significant interaction was found between pre-treatments and incubation temperature with the highest germination percentage (82%) occurred when the seeds soaked in 100 mg L-1 GA3 solution for 30 min and incubated at 20 °C constant temperature. Moreover, the germination speed was fastest from 20 to 25 °C (T50= 9.84 and 9.56 days for 20 and 25 °C, respectively). For asexual propagation, apical stem cuttings were taken at four different periods (4 seasons) and treated with IBA at concentrations of 0, 1000, 2000 and 3000 mg L-1. The cuttings were planted in a peat/perlite mixture 1:1 v/v in plastic square plug trays in order to study the rooting percentage. Winter was the most appropriate season for cuttings collection (100% rooting percentage) and dipping in 1000 or 2000 mg L-1 IBA (72% and 73%, respectively) was the best rooting hormone treatment.