The seed anatomy and germination of <I>Picramnia glazioviana</I> Engl. (Simaroubaceae)

Abstract

This work describes the seed anatomy, germination and seedling development of Picramnia glazioviana Engl. (Simaroubaceae). The seed is exalbuminous, obovate, with a brown membraneous coat, formed by the outermost epidermal cells, with stomata, and by two distinct layers of parenchymatous tissue. The well developed embryo has two crass cotyledons, partially fusioned, and the seed storage, contained in the cotyledons, are mainly starch and lipids. The germination is criptocotyledonary and the seed is not photoblastic. The germination occurs, generally, after twenty days and the seedling shows a typical sympodial development.