The species S. elegans (Bong.) Ruhl. and S. niveus (Kunth.) Ruhl. (Eriocaulaceae) are known in Brazil as star flowers and they grow in the rupestrian fields of Serra do Cipó - MG. They are used for ornamental purposes so data on their germination and postseminal development are important. In this study the seeds were germinated in growth chamber under controled conditions and in the laboratory under light and dark conditions. For each treatment four repetitions of 25 seeds on Petri plates with humid filter paper were used. The results show that the seeds of S. elegans and S. niveus are positive photoblastic. The post-seminal development stages are the same for both species and during the germination period the undifferentiated axis of the embryo becomes apparent. The observation of the development of this axis shows that the growth of the leaves occurs first than that of the adventitious root. The seed operculum adheres to the testa and the primary root degenerates in the embrionary axis.
germination; post-seminal development; Syngotianthus