Tabebuia aurea (Manso) Benth. & Hook. f. ex S. Moore, a member of the family Bignoniaceae, is usually found along the margins of temporary rivers in the semiarid region of Northeastern Brazil. Growth of young plants was studied for four months in a greenhouse, with respect to elongation (cm), dry matter weight (g) and stomatal density (mm²). Thirty days after sowing, the young plants were submitted to three water treatments: 100, 50 and 25% of field capacity. Leaf stomatal density at the apical, median and basal portions was recorded monthly. Stomata impression in enamel was used and countings were performed in a 1mm² area. The 25% field capacity treatment had the most negative effects on growth. Under this treatment, root system/aerial portion growth ratio (cm) was of a 2:1 magnitude up to 60 days; average leaf number was reduced from 90 days on, and average leaf area was reduced from 30 to 120 days of the trial. For all treatments, stress effect was evident on dry matter weight (g) from 90 days on. Higher biomass allocation percentage was observed on young plant aerial portion up to 90 days and on root system at 120 days. T. aurea is hypostomatic, with anomocytic stomates. Stomatal density varied from 119,63 to 155,19/mm².
Tabebuia aurea; growth; leaf area; biomass allocation; stomatal density
