Morphologic caracterization os fruit, seeds and sedlings of Sesbania virgata (Cav.) PersSesbania Virgata is a bush, pioneer and occurs naturally Brazil. It belongs to the Leguminosae-Faboideae family and is indicated for recovery-degraded areas due to its rusticity and capacity of establishing symbiosis with rhizobial. But, in spite of its wide distribution, to date there is no morphologic description of the propagation structures and the plantule. This study describes the morphologic characters of the fruits, seeds and plantules, and characterizes the germination process of Sesbania virgata. For the study of the fruit, the following aspects were observed: type; color; dimensions; texture and consistence of the pericarp; opening; and number of seeds per fruit. The aspects observed for the seeds were: color; dimensions; weigt of 1000 seeds; tegument texture and consistency; form; embroider (?), hilum and other structures position and embryo characteristics. The plantules were characterized at two stages. The plantule stage was considered when the foliage leaves were totally formed and at young plant stage starting from the appearance of the 2nd foliage leaf. The described and cultured vegetative elements were root (main and secondary), collar, hypocotyls, cotyledons, epicotyls, foliage leaf (1st and 2nd orders) and stem. The Sesbania Virgata fruit is an indehiscent legume measuring 5,8 cm with 2 to 6 seeds. The Sesbania Virgata seeds are kidney-shaped and endospermic and there is no internal tegument. The hilum and the strophiole are easily distinguishable. The apical axis-embryo is inserted in the cotyledons. The seed germination is the epigeal type.
morphologic description; leguminosae; especie bush
