GERMINATION AND SEEDLINGS DEVELOPMENT OF THE THREATENED SPECIES Quillaja brasiliensis

ABSTRACT Brazil is a mega diverse country, but as consequence of habitat degradation several plant species are threatened. Quillaja brasiliensis is a rare and threatened tree species of the temperate forests of South America. We investigated protocols for germination, seedling growth and transplantation. We discuss some ecological matters that could affect the species’ establishment. We evaluated germination under a range of storage periods, temperature and light conditions, the effects of transplantation and the development of seedlings under two sowing methods. We found that seeds germinated rapidly and have a high germination rate. Temperature infl uenced germination vigour, and photoperiod infl uenced synchrony. There was increased and faster germination under controlled culture conditions. The high germination rate and rapid growth qualify Q. brasiliensis as a potential species for restoring degraded areas and enrichment programmes.