Morphological aspects of Caatinga seedlings: contributions to germination testing and species identification
dry forest, forest seedlings, germination physiology, ecological restoration, seed analysis
The Caatinga is an exclusively Brazilian biome, notable for its biodiversity and endemism, featuring deciduous vegetation with shrub, tree, and herbaceous species. However, it has been undergoing severe environmental degradation, which calls for greater knowledge about its native species, particularly regarding seed germination and seedling morphology. Seeds from 20 forest species native to the Caatinga were collected in natural areas of Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, and Pernambuco. After asepsis, they were sown in sterilized sand and kept in a germination chamber. Daily observations were conducted to describe the germination process and morphologically characterize normal seedlings, considering structures such as root, hypocotyl, epicotyl, cotyledons, and leaves. The seedlings showed differences in leaf morphology and in the timing of structural development. The results highlight the importance of seedling morphology as a complementary tool to seed analysis, contributing to the early identification of species and to the technical improvement of nurseries focused on the restoration of the Caatinga.