Assessing Population Dynamics and Seed Germination in the Endemic Tree Micromeles cuspidata (Bertol.) C.K. Schneid.

The present study assessed the population status and seed germination of the endemic tree Micromeles cuspidata (Bertol.) C.K. Schneid. in northeast India. A total population density of 594 individuals was recorded, consisting of 67 adults, 215 saplings, and 312 seedlings. Regeneration was generally good across sites, except for sites Law Shnong Mawkasain and Law Shnong Umladkur , where no saplings or seedlings were present. Sites Law Adong Pongtung and Syiemship forest demonstrated fair regeneration. Seed germination experiments revealed that all treatments induced germination within two weeks. The highest germination rate (96%) occurred in seeds treated with 2000 mg L^-1 gibberellic acid (GA₃), while the lowest rate (65.33%) was observed at 3000 mg L^-1 GA₃, indicating that higher concentrations had inhibitory effects. Untreated seeds also exhibited a high germination rate (90.67%), suggesting that M. cuspidata can be propagated effectively without chemical intervention. These results provide critical insights for ex-situ conservation strategies. The conservation of adult trees in natural habitats is essential for maintaining viable populations in the wild. Furthermore, seed collection, germination and the reintroduction of seedlings into community-conserved areas are recommended to enhance the species’ long-term survival.