ESTIMATE OF THE FOLIAR AREA OF Myrcia variabilis Mart. ex DC. (MYRTACEAE)

Abstract

The specie Myrcia variabilis (Myrtaceae) is native and endemic to Brazil and can be found in open environments such as the Cerrado, Campo Rupestre and in fragments of the Atlantic Forest. The plant is popularly known as "goiabinha-do-campo-roxa" and is used by traditional communities to treat wounds and diarrhea. Considering the medicinal potential of the species, there is a need for basic research involving aspects related to propagation, growth and development, such as the study of the leaf area. However, it is difficult to perform this measurement due to the need to acquire high-value equipment and destructive techniques. Non-destructive methods allow you to track plant growth and provide data accuracy while preserving integrity. The aim of this study was to estimate the leaf area of M. variabilis and establish mathematical models using the linear dimensional parameters length and width. 200 leaves of 10 specimens from a population of M. variabilis present in an area of altered cerrado, in the municipality of Lavras-MG, were collected. After collection, the leaves were scanned and analyzed to determine linear measurements. It was observed that the product of the linear measurements length and width are enough to estimate the leaf area of the species. The present study contributes to the study of the M. variabilis species, by eliminating the destructive methods to estimate leaf area. Furthermore, the linear model showed a good fit, being the ideal tool to estimate the leaf area of this species, especially in studies that investigate its growth and development.