Chihuahuan desert ornamental cactaceae seed anatomy

Abstract

The seed anatomy of eight species of ornamental cacti from the Chihuahuan desert was described, germplasm in the process of long-term conservation in the Germplasm Bank of the National Center for Genetic Resources of INIFAP; different qualitative, quantitative and pseudo-qualitative aspects were tested for the characterization of the seed, likewise it was supported with an X-ray equipment. The shape of the seed was varied as well as the size, probably associated with the ecological conditions in which species are distributed; X-rays provide important information on the development and condition of the embryo, however, it is not indicative of the viability of the seed.