Variação morfológica de nectários extraflorais em Fabaceae

Abstract

Extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) are structures present in various angiosperms, playing an important ecological role in the indirect defense of plants against herbivores. In addition to their ecological relevance, EFNs also have systematic importance, being used as morphological characters in species identification. This study aimed to describe the morphology of EFNs in species of the Fabaceae family on the Pici Campus of the Federal University of Ceará. Quantitative measurements, location indication, and classification of EFNs from six species were performed. All analyzed species presented elevated, structured nectaries with varying sizes. Albizia lebbeck stood out, presenting the largest average EFN area (19.53 mm²), while Pithecellobium dulce presented the smallest average area (0.27 mm²). The results highlight the morphological diversity of EFNs in Fabaceae and reinforce the potential of these structures as auxiliary tools in ecological and taxonomic studies.