Biotemas (Sep 2012)
Biometric data of fruits and seeds of Hymenaea courbaril var. stilbocarpa (Hayne) Y. T. Lee & Langenh and H. martiana Hayne
Abstract
The Cerrado presents high species diversity, but estimates indicate that 48% of its vegetation has been cleared or changed. Based on this scenario there is imminent demand for the recovery of degraded areas, and studies that aim to understand the biometrics of native species are relevant for this purpose. The goal of this study was to characterize the biometry of fruits and seeds of Hymenaea courbaril var. stilbocarpa and H. martiana, and to compare the biometric characteristics of different species in this genus to help with their identification. Near the city of Itapuranga, in the state of Goiás, five tree matrixes of H. courbaril var. stilbocarpa and three of H. martiana were sampled. From each species, fruits were collected, measured and weighed. The species differed significantly in relation to fruit length. Regarding the seeds, H. martiana presented biometric parameters with the highest values. In addition, fruits and seeds of both species had significantly different weights. The comparative analysis of the genus showed that H. intermedia can be easily distinguished from other species because of its large fruits, and that H. martiana had the largest and most robust seeds. The information presented in this study is relevant and shows how the biometry of fruits and seeds can be used to differentiate species.
