Phenology of Ocotea pulchella, Myrcia brasiliensis and Psidium cattleyanum in semideciduous forest in southern Brazil

Abstract

Abstract

We evaluated vegetative and reproductive events of Ocotea pulchella (Nees) Mez (Lauraceae), Myrcia brasiliensis Kiaersk and Psidium cattleyanum Sabine (Myrtaceae) in a secondary semideciduous forest fragment for two years. We performed a circular data analysis and we correlated phenophases to temperature, daylenght and rainfall. Leaf fall and leaf appearance occurred continuously during the biennium featuring a low seasonality. The flowering, including the emergence of floral buds and anthesis, featured a seasonal pattern. Myrcia brasiliensis and Psidium cattleyanum showed great concentration of immature fruits around the average date (r), while fruit production of O. pulchella was almost constant (low r). The appearance of the fruits in P. cattleyanum and O. pulchella revealed a connection between daylenght and temperature in both years. All species had high concentration of individuals with mature fruits at some time of the year, allowing estimation of the average date of the reproductive event and indicating seasonality of maturation. The three species may potentially provide food resources for local animals, mainly birds, because mature fruits were available throughout the entire period.

Keywords: Phenophases; tree species; atlantic rain forest; Lauraceae; Myrtaceae.