Studies on the Seeds of Smilax goyazana A.DC. (Smilacaceae)

PALHAREs D., TINE M. A., VINHA D., SILVEIRA C. E. Dos S. & ZAIDAN L. B. P. 2009. Studies on the seeds of Smilax goyazana A.DC. (Smilacaceae). - Phyton (Horn, Austria) 49 (1): 117-130, with 5 figures. Seed Smilacaceae - Although the genus Smilax presents a worldwide occurrence and occupies with a reasonable phytosociological dominance in a great variety of ecosystems, the seeds are very exigent: germination occurs only after many weeks to months under imbibition in a narrow range of optimal temperatures. In seeds of Smilax goyazana, the combined effect in the seed germination of four regimens of temperature, presence of photoperiod or constant darkness and previous exposition or not to gibberellin was verified. Also, the content of water, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates were measured. An anatomical study using standard technique was carried out. The embryo is dispersed at an immature stage with a torpedo format. The endosperm is made up of cells with thickened walls and with lipidic drops in the vacuoles. The seeds are aphotoblastic and indifferent to an exposition to gibberellin. The germination occurred only under constant temperatures between 25 degrees C and 30 degrees C. The germinability was inferior to 40% and the temperature of 25 degrees C was more favourable to germination than the one of 30 degrees C. The seeds present low water content and are oleaginous. The polysaccharides are the second most abundant reservoir.