Seed germination and seedling structure of inga vera willd. (Fabaceae)

The preservation and sustained use of native species require basic botanical studies, especially those that deal with seed germination and seedling. Inga vera is a fruit-bearing species that typically occurs in the Atlantic Forest and riparian forests. The germination of its seeds and the morphoanatomy of its seedlings were the objects of this work. Seeds and reproductive branches were collected at the Caiuá Ecological Station, municipality of Diamante do Norte, Paraná, Brazil. Germination experiments were carried out in chambers with controlled temperature and photoperiod. From the germination tests, the percentage and germination speed index, average germination time and germination uniformity coefficient were calculated. The highest percentage and rate of germination occurred when the seeds were kept at 25°C. The seeds confirmed a recalcitrant characteristic, with reduced germination, after 20 days of storage. The seedlings were developed in a greenhouse, and are phanerocotylar with reserve cotyledons and bifoliolate eophylls. Part of the root and the reduced hypocotyl exhibit a root-stem transition region. The cotyledons have a homogeneous mesophyll and a starchy reserve. The epicotyl has a stem nature. Eophylls show dorsiventral mesophyll. Inga vera has a morphology similar to other investigated species of the genus and typical occurrence of closed primary vegetation.