Aldina heterophylla (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae) is a species commonly found in campinas (dwarf forest on white sand) in central Amazonia. Some of its morphological characters vary according to the enviroment. It varies in size in the various campinas under different conditions of soil, light and temperature. The present study was made with the intention of understanding the amount of seleromorphism in different environmental conditions. Leaves collected under sun and shade conditions in three central Amazonia campinas (“open”, “high” and “shaded” campina), were used for histological sections and epidermal preparations for anatomical description. In general, the plants showed seleromorphism in all the environments. It is suggested that Aldina heterophylla is better adapted to the environmental conditions of “high” campina, where it showed more exuberent growth, than in “open” or “shaded” campina.
leaf anatomy; campinarana; macucu