Lippia species from Cadeia do Espinhaço (MG, Brazil), were collected and established at the Botanical Experimental Station, Juiz de Fora, MG. The flowering of plants was evaluated in both natural and controlled conditions. Germination test was accomplished with seeds obtained from natural conditions. The rooting of cuttings was evaluated in plants cultivated in the Botanical Experimental Station. The majority of species blossomed either in the dry or in the rainy seasons. Only one species blooms in both seasons. At controlled conditions, the flowering period increased in species that flourish in the summer. Some species presented better germination with fresh collected seeds while others when the seeds were stored, evidencing both viability loss and seed dormancy. GA3 stimulates the germination in some species, while it inhibited or not influenced on others. Some species germinate better in the darkness, while others under white light. Some of them germinate in the light or in the darkness. Adventitious roots formation in cuttings of wild species was very low and did not vary in response to season variation and auxin concentration. On the other hand, rooting of cuttings of L. alba (Mill.) N.E. Br. varied in response both to season variation and to auxin types and concentration. This is the first report on physiological reproductive aspects of endemic Lippia species from the Cadeia do Espinhaço. The results indicate the possibility to use seeds in the propagation of wild Lippia species and, they also show that reproduction through conventional vegetative propagation techniques presents quite reduced efficiency.
preservation; propagation; rooting
