PHENOLOGY OF WOODY SPECIES IN THE CAATINGA OF SERIDO, RN, BRAZIL

The phenology of 13 shrub and tree species in the caatinga of Serido was observed for two years to determine if, in this open vegetation, poor in species, phenophases occur throughout all the seasons. Ten plants of each species were observed every 15 days to register leaf formation and fall, flowering and fruiting. Leaf formation was strongly influenced by rainfall in 11 species, which remained leafless during different periods of the dry seasons. This influence was most noticeable in the rapid leaf flush and fall following sporadic rain events within the dry season. Two species, Capparis flexuosa and Erythroxylum pungens, remained with leaves the whole year. Along the two years, only for short periods ( about 15 days), there were no plants flowering and fruiting, but both peaked in the rainy season. The patterns were more complex at the species level than at the community level. Erythroxylum pungens did not flower and Aspidosperma pyrifolium and Tabebuia impetiginosa flowered only once, along the two years, while Mimosa acutistipula flowered five times and Jatropha mollissima and Pithecellobium foliolosum flowered four times. In four species (Amburana cearensis, Anadenanthera colubrina, Pithecellobium foliolosum and Tabebuia impetiginosa), fruiting did not occur in all plants that flowered, while in the other species all those that flowered also produced fruits. In spite of the almost continual fruit production, during several periods, only dry fruits were produced.