Cadmium tolerance of Holcus lanatus from a site contaminated by aerial fallout

Holcus lanatus, collected 2.8 km from a large smelting complex, exhibited distinct tolerance to cadmium. Tolerant plants grew less well on normal culture solution than non-tolerant plants but grew roots at normal rates in the presence of concentrations of cadmium related to those present in the field. These results are discussed in relation to the previous literature of metal tolerance and reference is made to the problems associated with the quantitative measurement of tolerance. (author)