The objective of this study was to evaluate the germinative behaviour of Vellozia gigantea N.L. Menezes & Mello-Silva, Vellozia glandulifera Goethart & Henrard and Vellozia variabilis Mart. ex Schult. & Schult (Velloziaceae). The germination experiments took place in germination chambers at continuous light and dark, and constant temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40ºC. The seeds of the studied species presented high percentages of germination in light at 20 to 40ºC, and V. glandulifera was the only species that the seeds germinated in the temperature of 15ºC. In the dark, the seeds of V. glandulifera germinated at 20 to 40ºC, showing germination percentages lower than 30%. The seeds of V. variabilis and V. gigantea germinated in a strict of the dark, presenting elevated germination percentage in higher temperatures (35 to 40ºC). The species of Vellozia are positive photoblastic in a wide range of temperatures, which indicates a adaptation of these species to their habitats, once they grow in fields and their seeds might be subjected to high light intensities.
Vellozia; Velloziaceae; germinative behaviour; positive photoblastic; germination
