Heteromorphy was observed in Phyllanthus tenellus and P. niruri seeds. There are two kinds of seeds: brown and yellow. There is variation in the number of the two kinds of seeds harvested in different periods of the year. Brown seeds present higher mass and higher percentage of germination. Proteins and soluble sugars were also analysed in P. niruri seeds and the highest level of these storage substances was found in seeds harvested in late spring. In P. niruri the level of protein and soluble sugars was smaller in the sample harvested in autumn, but no alteration was seen in seed mass. Seed germination of the autumn collection was smaller than the spring collection. Soluble sugars level was higher in yellow seeds of P. niruri and in brown seeds of P. tenellus. Brown seeds germination was higher under continuous white light. After 10 months of storage at ± 4ºC the germinability of the P. tenellus brown seeds decreased about 50%.
Phyllanthus tenellus; Phyllanthus niruri; heteromorphy; germination