ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the differences of the shapes of seeds and germination characters of Alisma plantago-aquatica.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The seeds were collected from four regions in Sichuan province, characters of the seeds' appearance were observed. The purification, weights per thousand seeds, content of moisture, seed vigor and different germination rates of A. plantago-aquatica were measured. The germination rates of the seeds were determined under different temperature treatments.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>It was markedly varied in shapes of the seeds, rates of germination and all quality characters of the four local species. The seeds from Pengshan showed the best quality, the weights per thousand, the seed vigor and germination rate were 0.4308 g, 6% and 82%, respectively, and the size of the seed, its width and length were 1.882, 1.455 mm, respectively. The length was positively correlated with the width, and so did the weights per thousand seeds with the seed vigor and germination rates. The rate of seed vigor was positively correlated with the rate of germination. Results indicated that temperature had affected the germination of the seed.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The seed from Pengshan was the best. The result of this study provides scientific evidences for identification, growth and cultivation of A. plantago-aquatica.</p>