XVI International Botanical Congess

Annual and bi-annual growth variations in height and diameter of all individuals at different stages of development in Caesalpinia pyramidalis and Croton sonderianus, in a plane area (2500 m2), were described and compared. All stages showed positive, negative and null individuals growth in height and diamenter, indicating complex patterns of destination of resources during ontogeny. The absolute growth rates in height and diameter were not constant among the growth stages. In Croton and Caesalpinia the growth in height was not dependent on the growth diameter and the variation in stem size was not dependent on initial size of the individuals.