The time required for manifestation of the principal morphologycal events associated with germination of Platonia insignis seeds was characterized. Furthermore desiccation sensitivity was determined so as to provide an indication of seed storage behaviour.The germination behaviour of P. insignis seeds is unique with four morphological events well-defined in time. The first event consists of rupture of seed coats by the radicle and the appearance of a taproot in quick succession, occuring from 12 to 35 days after sowing, with a midium time of 18 days. The second, was the vigorous taproot growth achieving a length of 178cm, 210 days after sowing. The following event was associated with the emergence of epicotyl, the most slow and least uniform phase, begining at 198 days and finished at 968 days after sowing, by which time the percentage of seeds with epicotylar development was 94%. On average, the time required for epicotyl emergence was 564 days. At the emergence of the epicotyl, the taproot showed a length of 186.2cm and basal diameter of 0.71cm. The last event was represented by the development of the first pair of metaphyll that occured 14 days after epicotyl emergence. Seeds do not tolerate desiccation and when the moisture content was lowered to 16%, the germination fell to zero. P. insignis seeds can, therefore, be classified as recalcitrant.