Morphology of diaspore and seedling of tree species of the Araucaria forest (Subtropical Ombrophilous Forest) in southern Brazil.

Abstract

This study characterized morphologically the fruits, seeds and seedlings of species of Araucaria Forest, aiming to understand the strategies of establishing different successional groups. Therefore, fruits of 18 tree species were collected in Curitiba, Paraná. Then the seeds were sown in vermiculite and remained in the laboratory until the seedling stage. The pioneer species have predominantly dehiscent dry fruits, unalbuminous seeds, small structures that favor anemochoric dispersal and seedlings with thin cotyledons, foliaceous with trichomes. In late secondary species the fruits are fleshy with zoochorous dispersal, seeds are albuminous and seedlings present fleshy cotyledons, foliaceous, and in some cases also reserve function. In the early secondary species, the characteristics are variable. Morphological characterization allows the interpretation of functional ecology, the different strategies of establishment of species.