The present study evaluated the influence of the edge-effect and rainfall on flavonoid content in individuals of Bauhinia cheilantha (Bong.) Steud., Fabaceae, in an area of caatinga vegetation in Pernambuco State, northeastern Brazil. The analytical methodology used aluminum chloride binding to quantify flavonoid concentrations by visible light spectrophotometry in leaf extracts of B. cheilantha. In general, forest edges influenced flavonoid production, but it was not possible to relate production with rainfall levels. These results demonstrate that this species uses various strategies to respond to environmental variables.
Caatinga; pata-de-vaca; rainfall; chemical ecology; Bauhinia cheilantha
