The morphological characterization of dispersal units is important to help the
identification of a botanical specie and there are a deficiency of specialized bibliography which
described seeds of ornamental species, independent if they are trees, shrubs or herbaceous plants.
Ornamental plants are distinguish by the fowering time, size and colour of the leaves, flowers and
inflorescences, as well as appearance and architecture of the plant. Seeds, like most reproductive
structures, are relatively stable under varying environmental conditions and their basic internal
organization varies only slightly among related species and genera and the differences that do
exist may properly be regarded as significant phylogenetically and can be used in the taxonomical
identification. The objective of these work was make drawings and descriptions of the external
and internal characteristics of the dispersal units, as shape, type, size and embryo position in
relation to the storage tissue (endosperm), in order to help the correct identification of two arboreous
species: Allophyllus edulis (St.Hil.) Radlk (Sapindaceae) and Erythrina speciosa Andrews
(Fabaceae-Papilionoideae), used in the urban arborization; two herbaceous species: Alstoemeria
psittacina Lehm. (Amaryllidaceae) and Freesia refracta Klatt (Iridaceae) and one flowering shrub
specie: Calliandra tweedii Benth. (Fabaceae-Mimosoideae).