The germination of Oxalis hirsutissima Mart. & Zuc. seeds is frequently low, making difficult the propagation of this important medicinal plant, widely used by local people for eye inflammations. Seeds of a wild population of the plant were collected in Poconé, Mato Grosso, Brazil, and tested in two different experiments to break dormancy. In the first experiment 12 treatments were used: imbibition in water for 24, 36, 48, 69, and 96 hours, immersion in acetone for 10 and 40 minutes, immersion in hydrochloric acid for 10 and 40 minutes, immersion in alcohol 96° for 10 and 40 minutes, and no treatment. In the second experiment 14 treatments were used: immersion in warm water (70 °C) for 20, 40, 60 and 300 seconds, in hot water (85 °C) for 20, 40, 120 and 300 seconds, in boiling water (100 °C) for 10, 20, 40, 120 and 300 seconds, and no treatment. Immersion in hydrochloric acid for 40 seconds was statistically different from the others, although the germination percentual was still low (47%). Immersion in warm water (70 ºC) for 300 seconds and hot water (85 ºC) for 40 seconds showed the best results, with 89% and 92% of germination, respectively. 100 ºC for 300 seconds reduced germination to 4%.
dormancy; pre-germination; medicinal plant