Subsídios para identificação de gustavia augusta l. (lecythidaceae), utilizando aspectos morfológicos do fruto, da semente e da plântula.

Abstract

Gustavia augusta, known as "jeniparana" or "pau-fedorento", is a tree about 22 meters high, common from the Amazon to the Guianas; it blooms from October to December and bears fruit from March to May. The tree is ornamental and can be used in landscaping. The objective of this study was to characterize the morphology of the fruit, seed, seedling and young plant of G augusta. We used 30 fruits, 30 seeds, 10 seedlings and 10 young plants. The general morphology, color, texture, consistency, dehiscence and indumentation of the fruits were recorded; the tegument and embryo of the seeds were described, and the main vegetative elements of the seedling and young plant were described. Seedlings were considered to be the development phase in which the eophilia were fully formed, and young plants from the third eophilus on. The study was based on specialized literature and the morphological characters were illustrated with photographs. The species presented fruit of the amphiscarid type, rounded, indehiscent, woody; mature green-brownish exocarp, opaque; fibrous funiculus, long, thin, yellow and tortuous. Seeds stenospheric; tegument dehydrated petioid, brown; hilum oval, yellow; embryo axial, foliaceous; cotyledons crass and dominant. Seedling with simple, alternate eophylls; apex acuminate, margin serrate, base attenuate, with cataphylls acuminate, nervation peninérvea, broquidódroma and prefoliation conduplicate. Young plant with simple metaphylls, similar to the seedling. With this study, we can conclude that the characterization of the morphology of the fruit, seed, germination, seedling and young plant is very important for the identification of the species in the field, and consequently provides subsidies for forest management.