Morphological diversity of fruits and seeds of baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.)

The aim of this study was to identify distinct morphological characters tha t may group similar plants in populations of "baru" (Dipteryx alata Vog.). Sixty three plants were marked in Goias and Minas Gerais States, of which 2 0 fruits and seeds were evaluated, collected from the ground in 1994 and 19 95. The following measurements were taken: weight, length, width and dimens ion of fruits and its respective seeds, and color of seed tegument. Analysi s of principal components and cluster analysis were performed. Variances be tween plants were observed but not within plants. The analysis of principal components showed continuous spatial distribution of the data. The first t wo components explained 75% and 80% of total variance of morphological char acters in 1994 and 1995, respectively. All variables were important for dis crimination of groups. The configurations of four to six groups were consis tent for both years. Less than half of trees remained in the same group in both years. This shows that fruit and seeds may have annual variation for m orphological characters, though exceptions were observed. Distinct grouping indicates presence of genetic variability within material collected.