Germination type and seedling morphology of 16 true mangrove species under ten families were studied. Seedlings were either raised in vitro or collected from natural habitat. True viviparous type of germination occurs in the members of Rhizophoraceae, cryptocotylar hypogeal in Excoecaria, Heritiera, Phoenix and Xylocarpus, phanerocotylar geal type in Aegiceras and Aegialitis, and phanerocotylar epigeal type in the rest of the taxa. Viviparous germination is considered to be the most complex phenomenon in evolutionary line. An intermediate incipient vivipary is prominent in Aegiceras, Aegialitis and Avicennia, which may be, included in a separate group namely cryptoviviparous type. The germination types have been discussed in the light of their habitat. An identification key to the genera has been provided on the basis of germination type and seedling morphology.

Seedling morphology of five species of Magnolia from different districts of West Bengal (India) were studied. The germination is epigeal, phanercotylar type. The seedlings are distinguishable on the basis of features like hypocotyl; shape, apex, and venation of paracotyledons; first two leaves and subsequent leaves have been considered also as key characters for the easy identification of the plants at juvenile stage. Similarities in seedling morphology rightly support the placement of Michelia under the genus Magnolia as treated recently. These taxa are facing various degrees of threats, mainly due to exploitation for their commercial potential as timber‐yielding plants, horticultural and medicinal plants. Consequently, conservation programmes of these plants can be planned through their identification at juvenile stages in natural sites.

Seedling morphology was studied in nine Indian species of Bauhinia L. Four seedling types were recognized on the basis of germination pattern: (a) crypto‐hypogeal; (b) semicrypto‐geal; (c) phanero‐epigeal and (d) phanero‐geal. The seedling types, foliar and storage cotyledons, forms and length of hypocotyl, presence or absence of cataphylls, phyllotaxy and depth of lobing of first two leaves provide essential characters for the identification of the investigated taxa of the genus.

Seedling morphology of eight species from four genera of the family Commelinaceae viz. Commelina appendiculata C.B. Clarke, C. benghalensis L., C. caroliniana Walter, C. paludosa Blume, Cyanotis axillaris (L.) D. Don ex Sweet, C. cristata (L.) D. Don, Murdannia nudiflora (L.) Brenan and Tradescantia spathacea Sw. are investigated using both light and scanning electron microscopy. The seedling morphological features explored include germination pattern, seed shape, surface and hilum, root system, cotyledon type, cotyledonary hyperphyll (apocole), cotyledonary hypophyll (cotyledonary sheath), hypocotyl, first leaf and subsequent leaves. All taxa studied had hypogeal and remote tubular cotyledons. However, differences in cotyledon structure (apocole, cotyledonary sheath), seed, hypocotyl, internodes, first leaf and subsequent leaves were observed. Variations of those characters were used to prepare an identification key for the investigated taxa. Commelina spp. and Murdannia nudiflora of the tribe Commelineae were found to differ from Cyanotis spp. and Tradescantia spathacea of tribe Tradescantieae in the petiolate first leaf with papillate margins on upper surface with 6-celled stomata and the glabrous epicotyl. The presence of an elongated cotyledonary sheath, long apocole and extended periblast region appear to be synapomorphies for Commelina spp. and T. spathacea. The affinity of the investigated taxa as revealed through multivariate analysis supports some of the relationships inferred by pollen morphology, floral morphology and DNA (rbc-L, 5S NTS, trnL-trnF) data stated by previous authors.