Flemingia faginea is a woody species whose various parts are widely used in traditional medicine. However, this species, which typically grows along waterways, is becoming increasingly rare due to poor seed germination in the wild, possibly resulting from the effects of climate change and human activities. Given the increasing rarity of F. faginea and the importance of temperature and light in seedling establishment, the aim of this study was to assess how different temperature and light conditions affect the germination of its seeds. The experiment was conducted in germination boxes using a completely randomized design with four replicates and nine treatments, combining three temperature levels (20°C, 30°C, and 40°C) with three light regimes (continuous light for 24 h, alternating 12 h light/12 h darkness, and continuous darkness for 24 h). Germination parameters, germination delay, germination percentage, mean germination time (MGT), median time to 50% germination (T50%), and germination index (GI), were recorded. Results indicated that F. faginea seeds were able to germinate under all tested temperatures. However, seedling development was inhibited at both 20°C and 40°C. Yet, the combined influence of temperature and light revealed that the optimal conditions for germination were 30°C under continuous 24-h light. This treatment markedly enhanced both the GI and germination percentage (85.00 ± 4.34%) while reducing the MGT to 2.00 ± 0.25 days. Overall, the findings indicate that F. faginea germination is strongly influenced by temperature but not by light, a pattern consistent with its natural environment, which is typically shaded by large trees. Understanding the ecophysiological conditions required for successful germination provides valuable guidance for effective seedling management and ex situ propagation of F. faginea.

Flemingia faginea; germination; pharmacopoeia; photoblastic; temperature