The over-exploitation of Podophyllum hexandrum, a Himalayan medicinal species belonging to the Berberidaceae, is endangering its survival in natural sites. Etoposide, a derivative podophyllotoxin, is currently in clinical use in the treatment of many cancers. The cultivation of this species may answer the growing needs for plant material. But the difficulties of germination have not favored its domestication so far. There are about 20 publications on the subject, without a final answer. The results presented here show that the embryos were perfectly able to germinate directly after harvest. The best results were obtained by treating resh seeds just after harvest with GA3, allowing 90% germination after 80 days.
