Reproductive phenology, floral biology, breeding system and pollinators were analyzed on Cryptostegia madagascariensis individuals cultivated at Federal University of Viçosa campus, municipality of Viçosa, Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais State. In addition, seed viability and vigour from naturally opened fruits were tested. Seed germination from yellow-green pericarp closed fruits was also tested. Flowering of C. madagascariensis occurs mainly in November and December. Fruits (follicles) are exhibited during all year, but more frequently in January and February. Flowers open during the day and last about 24 hours. They exhibit protandry, secondary pollen presentation and intragynoecial compitum, which results in the production of twin follicles (two follicles per flower). It is self-compatible, but spontaneous self-pollination does not occur due to morphological characteristics. Bees should be the main pollinators, as they exhibited the pollinarium attached to their mouthparts. At least one pollinarium was removed per flower. However, the low natural fructification (2.7%) rate indicates that these insects are efficient for pollinaria removal, but less efficient for deposition of collected pollen. The follicles take four months to reach the maximum size (average of 6.44 cm length, 2.45 cm height and 3.4 cm width), and 210 days for opening. Each follicle averaged 96.5 seeds. The ideal conditions for seed quality evaluation, from naturally opened follicles, were 30 ºC constant temperature and no supplementary light, and counting occurred at the 7th days. Seeds from closed follicles showed 93% germination under those conditions.
floral biology; breeding system; pollination; bees; seed germination
