The objective of this study was evaluate light and temperature effects on seed germination of the seeds of Syngonanthus elegantulus Ruhland, S. elegans (Bong) Ruhland and S. venustus Silveira. The experiments were carried out in germination chambers with continuous light or dark and constant temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 ºC and alternated temperatures of 25-15, 30-15, 35-15 and 2535 ºC. The germination was low (36,5%), under light, in S. elegantulus in the range 15 to 30 ºC and high in S. elegans (75%) e S. venustus (67,5%) from 20 to 30 ºC. The temperature of 40 ºC inhibited germination of all species. In S. elegantulus no germination occurred in the darkness, while in S. elegans low germination percentage (11,5%) was observed at 25 and 30 ºC and in S. venustus (21%), in the range 20 to 35ºC. Alternated temperatures favored seed germination as well as the range of constant temperatures defined from species. The species are positive photoblastic in a wide range of temperature, indicating adaptation for opened environments, with sun exposure.
Eriocaulaceae; Syngonanthus; germination; light; temperature
