In this paper, seedlings and saplings of Erythrina speciosa (Phaseoleae), Holocalyx balansae and Sophora tomentosa (Sophoreae), Swartzia langsdorffii (Swartzieae), Lonchocarpus muehlbergianus and Platycyamus regnellii (Tephrosieae) were studied, aiming to describe the morphology at early developmental stages of leguminous trees, in order to identify species, and provide information for taxonomic, phylogenetic and ecological works. Erythrina speciosa showed epigeal-fleshy seedlings with two eophylls only. The species of Sophoreae and Swartzieae formed hypogeal seedlings with 5-7 eophylls in Holocalyx balansae, 6-15 in Sophora tomentosa and 7-10 in Swartzia langsdorffii. In Tephrosieae, Lonchocarpus muehlbergianus showed hypogeal seedlings with 8-10 eophylls, while Platycyamus regnellii had epigeal-fleshy seedlings with two eophylls only. Seedlings and saplings of Erythrina speciosa and Platycyamus regnellii are similar and are distinguished only by the presence of spines and extra-floral nectaries in the former. The phyllotaxy of Sophoreae and Swartzieae show alternate nodes, while in Phaseoleae and Tephrosieae the first node is opposite, becoming alternate in the subsequent ones. Radicular nodules were observed in all species but Holocalyx balansae and Platycyamus regnellii.
Seedling; sapling; morphology; Fabaceae; Faboideae
