星辰花之生長與開花習性

Growth and Flowering Habits of Annual Statice

星辰花（Limonium sinuatum Mill. 及L. bonduellii Kuntze）為一年生草木花卉，白或黃色星狀小花突出於顏色鮮艷之花萼中，花萼含水量低呈紙狀，可製乾燥花。根出葉，遇低溫15/13°C抽苔開花，在亞熱帶為秋播春開花卉。以立體及掃描式電子顯微鏡觀察，花序發生於葉腋，先花芽分化、發育，而後花莖伸長開花。以水耕法研究營養生長與生殖生長間之拮抗作用，儘早除去花序，可促進營養生長。苗期過低溫（日／夜溫15/13°C）可促進開花，品種間對低溫之反應不同，依花期可分為早、中及晚生種。

Annual statice (Limonium sinuatum Mill. and L. bonduellii Kuntze) is a popular cut flower for both fresh and dried flower arrangements. There are many cultivars, all of which are characterized by delicate inflorescences composed of small paper-textured bracts in vivid color. It is a winter annual in subtropical region, and flowering is accelerated by low temperature treatment. Observation by stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscope, inflorescences occur in the leaf axils, differentiate and develope before flowerstalk elongation. Reproductive growth is antagonistic to vegetative growth, and removing the elongation flowerstalk enhance leaf and root growth.