Phenology of Butia catarinensis in the Southern Coastal Region of Santa Catarina, Brazil

This study evaluated the phenology of Butia catarinensis in shrubby Restinga and under the understory of eucalyptus monoculture (Eucalyptus saligna and Eucalyptus paniculata) along the southern coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Phenological data were collected monthly over a one-year period. Butia catarinensis exhibits an annual, asynchronous reproductive cycle, showing higher flowering and fruiting rates in spring and summer, with reduced reproductive activity during winter. Precipitation had minimal influence on its reproductive cycle; however, higher temperatures and increased solar radiation positively correlated with the development of green and ripe fruits year-round. The lack of significant differences between the two study environments indicated that the eucalyptus monoculture microclimate did not affect flowering and fruiting quantities of B. catarinensis, though it may have influenced phenophase timing, potentially accelerating, delaying, or extending these events.