Physical characterization of fruits and seeds of Lafoensia pacari, Alibertia edulis e Genipa americana

Abstract

Biometry of fruits and seeds provides information for conservation and species exploitation, the variability among individuals in a determined area and allows comparisons on the same species occurring in different geographic locations. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize biometrically fruits and seeds from Lafoensia pacari, Alibertia edulis and Genipa americana. Sixty fruits and an equal number of seeds were randomly selected and measured with the aid of digital calipers. The length, width and thickness of L. pacari fruits was measured, while the transverse and longitudinal diameter was measured in A. edulis and G. americana; in the seeds, the length, width and thickness were measured. It was also determined the number of seeds per fruit and fresh matter mass of fruits and seeds. The number of seeds per fruit and fresh matter mass of seeds are the biometric characteristics with greater variation. The asymmetry coefficient is negative for most fruit biometric characteristics and positive for most seeds characteristics. The kurtosis coefficient, for all biometric characteristics of fruits and seeds, shows value less than three, except for fruit length of L. pacari.