Carvalho, R.M.; Martins, F.R. & Santos, F.A.M. 1994. Leaf ecology of the pre-reproductive stages of the palm tree Euterpe edulis Mart. (Arecaceae). Resumos do VI Congresso Latino Americano de Botânica, Mar del Plata, Argentina, p. 568.

Abstract: The leaf production of 112 young plants of Euterpe edulis Mart. was accompanied from December 1990 to December 1993 in a swampy area of a forest in the municipality of Campinas (22°49’45”S, 47°06’33”W, 670m a.s.l), southeastern Brazil. Each leaf begins its expansion after the complete expansion of the preceding one. Juvenile stage showed the greatest leaf area, followed by infant and seedling. Juvenile was the first stage to produce a new leaf, followed by infant and seedling, thus suggesting that the greater the photosynthetic surface the greater the investment in new leaves. A leaf grows steadly while closed, only the petiole grows after its opening. Closed leaf growth took 2 to 11 months to be completed. Petiole growth was verified in all stages studied, a drastic decrease occurring from the second to the third month for all stages. 32% of all leaves showed some degree of damage by herbivory: suckers (8.9%), chewers and cutters (5.3% each one), minners (2.7%) or several agents (9.8%). Infant suffered the greatest damage by herbivores, seedling had the highest mortality rate (26.5%) due to herbivores (14.3%) and disappearing (12.2%), while juvenile suffered no mortality, showing that stage seems to be fundamental for surviving herbivory. Leaf longevity can attain two or more years, thus suggesting that a leaf is expensive to produce and its maintenance is important for plant survival.