Micropropagation of Australian native ornamental grevilleas

摘要

Australian native grevilleas are very diverse in their habit and habitat. There are up to 350 species of Grevillea reported, although the number of species varies among authors. Grevillea species range in habit from small, prostrate shrubs, less than50 cm (20 in.) to trees over 35 m (114 ft) tall. Their habitat extends from the wet tropics of Australia through temperate southern Australia and dry arid zones in Western Australia. Grevilleas are valued for their beautiful form, range of foliage, and diversity of flower colors, sizes, and shapes. Apart from their aesthetic value, they are also great garden plants, attracting native bees, butterflies, and birds, thus enriching the natural habitat. Many Grevillea species are propagated by seeds, but valuable, ornamental hybrids are propagated by cuttings, layering, or grafting. This paper will focus on the rapid cloning of some difficult-to-propagate cultivars of these beautiful ornamentals.