The understanding of the complex regeneration of the tropical forest ecossystem requires the association between germination and light. This study investigated the germination of four species of tropical trees belonging to different stages of succession when they underwent treatment with red, far red, blue and white light and also darkness. Mimosa scabrella (pioneer), Chorieia epeclosa and Tabebuia avellanedae (secondary) and Esenbeckia leiocarpa (climax) germinated better in the dark, followed by red, blue, white and far red. The joint analyses of the data, in which each light chamber was treated as an environment, revealed dependence of seed germination on the light treatment. This interaction between species and light when spitted confirmed significant differences of lights on the germination of species.