Short Note: Micropropagation of Antarctic Colobanthus quitensis

The Antarctic Pearlwort, Colobanthus quitensis (Kunth.) Bartl. (Caryophyllaceae) is one of the two native vascular plant species that have successfully colonized the maritime Antarctic during the Holocene (Smith 1984). Within the Antarctic biome, it is only found on the Antarctic Peninsula and on islands in the maritime Antarctic (Smith 1984). Its distribution also includes South Georgia (sub-Antarctic), the Falkland Islands, and sites along the Andes, reaching c. 10°N in Mexico (Moore 1970). Moore (1970) observed that C. quitensis is self-compatible and appears to be largely, if not entirely, self-pollinated. Convey (1996), found that maritime Antarctic C. quitensis showed lower allocation to seed production than plants from sub-Antarctic sites.