Abstract
Abstract: Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess. (guanandi) is a native species with medicinal potential and also generates expectation for commercial use (wood) and for recovery of degraded areas. These seeds have physical and mechanical dormancy, requiring techniques for dormancy release; knowledge of seed and seedling morphology that assists laboratory analysis and propagation of the species is also necessary. The objective of this study was to describe the morphological structures of the seeds and normal and abnormal seedlings of guanandi, and also investigate if complete extraction of the endocarp and the seed coat to overcome dormancy will affect the morphology and initial plant development, and consequently production of transplants. Guanandi seeds are large (1000 seed weight of 1480.9 g) with a hard seed coat; cotyledons account for most of the embryo and serve as a reserve; the embryonic axis is small (1.0-2.0 mm) in relation to the seed, yet it is differentiated. The seedlings have hypogeal cryptocotylar germination, with cotyledonary petioles, taproot, and epicotyl developing into a long stem and a tip protected by cataphylls. The main abnormalities in seedlings are related to the root system. Extraction of the endocarp and seed coat does not alter the morphology of seedlings and promotes their greater development, which may be an advantageous strategy.
Highlights
Morphological characterization of seeds and seedlings of native forest species stems from increasing interest in their propagation and in expanding sales of seeds and material for transplanting
In regard to native forest species, few studies report the morphological and fundamental characteristics of a normal seedling, and this lack of studies extends to Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess., a native, non-endemic species popularly known as guanandi found in the Amazon, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest biomes of Brazil, which has adapted to both waterlogged and well-drained soils (Schultz, 2011)
The layer below the endocarp is constituted by a membranous brown plant tissue, constituting the seed coat (Silva et al, 2018). This seed coat is encompassed by vascular bundles that branch off to one extremity, and are called chalazal vascular bundles, that join by proceeding from around the seed to the opposite extremity, characterized as the hilum-micropyle region (Almeida et al, 2013)
Summary
Morphological characterization of seeds and seedlings of native forest species stems from increasing interest in their propagation and in expanding sales of seeds and material for transplanting. Information regarding the morphological characteristics of the fruit and seed assist in identifying how these species respond (Almeida-Júnior et al, 2010; Ferreira and Barretto, 2015) This tool has been used for seed identification in soil seed banks (Seubert et al, 2016), assistance in studies of natural regeneration, and recognition of species in nurseries that produce plants for transplanting (Silva et al, 2008). In regard to native forest species, few studies report the morphological and fundamental characteristics of a normal seedling, and this lack of studies extends to Calophyllum brasiliense Cambess., a native, non-endemic species popularly known as guanandi found in the Amazon, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest biomes of Brazil, which has adapted to both waterlogged and well-drained soils (Schultz, 2011) It is a plant with high lumber potential (Barreiros et al, 2016), and it may be grown especially in areas near watercourses, where the soil is generally not highly valued (Oliveira and Joly, 2010)
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