Embryonic development of Syagrus inajai (Spruce) Becc. (Arecaceae, Arecoideae), an Amazonian palm

Abstract

Syagrus inajai (‘pupunharana’) is a native palm of Brazil, with phytogeographic prevalence in the Amazon region. A morpho-anatomical analysis was undertaken in order to gain a better knowledge on the embryonic development and germinative process of the S. inajai. Plant material was collected from the Campus of the Universidade Federal do Amazonas – UFAM, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, and processed using standard morphological and anatomical techniques. The development process of the embryo takes ~220 days, and is divided into four stages: proembryo, globular embryo, lateral cordiform and torpedo. The embryo is small, linear, and derived from the terminal cell of the proembryo, arising from mitotic divisions in the apical cell. The embryonic axis is straight, located in the proximal region, aligned parallel to the length of the embryo. The single cotyledon is formed by the ground meristem, procambium and protoderm. The procambium supplies the embryonic axis and the haustorium.