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Abstract

In Central Amazonian flood plains, seedlings after few months are submerged for up to 210 days every year. Among 31 analysed tree species, those from high levels in the flooding gradient germinated earlier and had longer leaves and taller seedlings than those from low levels. Species with hypogeal germination dominated with 59.1 %, compared to 40.9 % with epigeal germination. 80 % of the chosen species from nutrient-poor igapó had hypogeal germination with big, fleshy cotyledons, in contrast to 30 % in nutrient-rich várzea. Species with high seed mass growing at high elevations in the flooding gradient in igapó had higher percent germination, and significantly bigger leaf length and seedling height. The four species with seed mass >25 g had hypogeal germination, and the 13 species with seed mass below 1 g all had epigeal germination with foliaceous cotyledons. All species depended on emersion of the soil for germination.