Duarte et al. 2009 (Article) Dyckia

Morfologia de frutos e sementes e desenvolvimento pósseminal de Dyckia goehringii Gross & Rauh (Bromeliaceae)

Author(s):—E.F. Duarte, I.F. Carneiro & M.H. Rezende

Publication:—Rev. Biol. Neotrop. 6(1): 1-12. (2009)

Abstract:—The knowledge on the reproductive structures and seedling morphology of Bromeliaceae helps understand their propagation strategies better. The aim of this study was to describe the morphology of fruits and seeds as well as seedling development of Dyckia goehringii Gross & Rauh (Bromeliaceae). The fruits are loculicidal and polyspermic capsules, whereas the seeds are ellipsoid and covered by integuments involving an amylaceous endosperm, which contains a small embryo. During the cryptoepigeous emergence, the cotyledon remains inside the seed with a haustorial function. The seed germination process, considered as a protrusion of the cotiledonary sheath, took place four or five days after seeds were sown. Root hairs, primary root, and adventitious roots originated at the base of the cotiledonary sheath. The first leaf emerged from a cleft of the cotyledonary sheath 7 days after germination, and the second one emerged 8 days after germination. The results allowed us to understand the fruit organizational structure, germination process, development of seedlings, and duration of each stage. This information is important for accomplishing germination tests, grading seedling vigor, and understanding the species reproductive ecology.

Keywords:—Cerrado, germination, seedling.