Glossary
The syntropic terms that show up across the catalog, organized along the same axes as the filters in Plants. Each term links back to the matching catalog search — click to see the plants that fit.
Syntropic concepts
Foundations that give meaning to the rest of the vocabulary. Worth reading before browsing the filters.
Syntropic agriculture
Ernst Götsch's specific discipline within the broader Brazilian agroforestry tradition (agrofloresta). A production system that reproduces the structure and dynamics of a forest — many species across overlapping vertical strata, continuous succession driven by pruning, no external inputs. Starts from degraded land and builds forest while producing food, timber, and biomass.
Succession
The directional process by which ecosystems develop over time, from grassland to climax forest. Syntropic agriculture deliberately accelerates this process: planting at high density and diversity and pruning regularly drives the system from pioneer to climax phase in a fraction of the natural time.
Consortium
A set of species planted together in an intentional arrangement. In syntropic design, a consortium respects two axes: stratum (vertical) and successional stage (temporal). Each species has a place and a moment of peak and exit.
Biomass cycling
Pumping nutrients through plant growth and pruning. Cut leaves and branches decompose at the surface, returning to the soil the carbon, nitrogen, and minerals that deep roots brought up. This is how the system fertilizes itself.
Selective pruning
Intentional cutting of specific plant parts to release light and generate biomass. Götsch calls pruning "the fuel of transformations": pruning at the right moment — not fertilization — is what advances the system from one phase to the next.
Selective weeding (capina seletiva)
Management of spontaneous plants in which helpers are kept and competitors are cut. Different from conventional weeding, which removes everything the farmer didn't plant.
Guild (functional consortium)
A permaculture term, broader than "consortium" — describes a set of species that benefit each other without necessarily following the syntropic logic of strata and succession.
Götsch succession stage
Each plant belongs to a phase of natural succession. A healthy syntropic system has all stages planted simultaneously — not sequentially.
Placenta I
Annuals and biennials up to ~6 months. Function: cover the soil, kickstart microbial life, partly shade slower plants. Examples: maize, beans, short-cycle cassava, vegetables, mombasa grass.
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Placenta II
Species with a cycle up to ~2 years. Papaya, banana, squash, semi-arboreal legumes. They close out the placenta phase and prepare ground for the secondary stages.
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Secondary I
Species with a cycle up to ~10 years. Medium-sized fruit species, tree legumes (inga, leucaena), coffee. The system's most intensive production period.
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Secondary II
Species with a cycle up to ~100 years. Long-lived fruits (jackfruit, mango), medium-cycle timber producers, palms. They form the main canopy.
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Climax
Species with a cycle longer than ~100 years. Fine timber, nut trees, emergent canopy species. They define the mature system.
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Transitional
Species that bridge to the climax. Usually large trees, slower than secondaries but faster than climax species.
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Strata
The vertical system is divided into five strata defined by the light requirement of the adult plant. A species can occupy different strata across its life cycle.
Emergent
Species that grow above the high canopy, receiving full sun all day.
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High
Form the main canopy; tolerate occasional shade.
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Medium
Sub-canopy; tolerate more shade than high stratum.
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Low
Low forest stratum; tolerates significant shade.
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Ground cover
Ground cover; tolerates deep shade.
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Ecological role
A summary of the plant's role in succession — related but not identical to the Götsch stage. Where the stage is a temporal position, the role is a structural function.
Pioneer
Species that initiate succession on bare, degraded, or freshly disturbed soil. Fast-growing, short cycle, abundant seeds.
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Early secondary
Establish under the shade of pioneers, intermediate cycle, prepare conditions for late-secondary species.
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Late secondary
Longer-cycle species, require formed soil and partial shade to establish.
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Climax
Species of the final successional stage. Very long life cycle, highly specialized, usually shade-tolerant in the juvenile phase.
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Functions (ecological services)
What the plant does for the system. Unlike the product classes below, these are contributions that often don't show up at harvest — but they are what keeps the system going long-term.
Nitrogen fixer
Species — usually legumes (Fabaceae) — that live in symbiosis with Rhizobium bacteria in their roots. The bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) into bioavailable forms, fertilising the system with no external inputs. In syntropic management they are planted densely in early phases to accelerate succession.
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Biomass producer
Fast-growing species whose biomass (leaves, branches, trunks) is periodically cut and returned to the soil. The energetic engine of a syntropic system: pruning produces organic matter that feeds soil life and releases light for the next generation.
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Nurse plant
Species that create a sheltered microclimate (partial shade, humidity, wind protection) under which more sensitive plants can establish. They are removed or heavily pruned once their protégés are ready for direct sunlight.
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Dynamic accumulator
Plants with deep root systems that mine specific nutrients (potassium, calcium, phosphorus, micronutrients) from lower soil layers and concentrate them in leaves and branches. Pruning them and leaving the biomass on the surface releases those nutrients for surrounding species.
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Windbreak
Species planted in lines to reduce wind speed, protecting the system from desiccation, mechanical breakage, and pollinator loss. They work best as semi-permeable barriers (~50% porosity) rather than solid walls.
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Living fence
Densely planted shrub or tree species that demarcate areas and can replace conventional fencing. Often also produce biomass, fruit, or fodder.
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Ground cover
Low-growing or horizontally spreading species that cover the soil, reducing evaporation, suppressing competing plants, and protecting the soil from direct rain and sun. Indispensable in hot climates.
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Attracts pollinators
Species whose flowers attract bees, wasps, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. They boost yields of fruiting species and sustain fauna populations around the system.
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Pest repellent
Species whose volatile compounds or root exudates deter specific insects or pathogens. Planted alongside target species to reduce pest pressure without pesticide applications.
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Pest trap
Species preferred by a specific pest, planted to draw it away from main crops. They are expendable by design — their function is to be attacked.
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Soil decompactor
Species with strong taproots that break through compacted soil layers and create channels for water, air, and the roots of other plants. When they die or are cut, their decomposing roots leave lasting galleries in the soil.
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Mycorrhizal host
Species that form associations with mycorrhizal fungi, dramatically expanding root absorption area. They act as living inoculants — the fungal network they establish benefits the whole neighbourhood.
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Functions (product classes)
What the plant yields for harvest or use. A single plant typically combines ecological services and product classes.
Fruit
Species whose main yield is a fleshy fruit for human or animal consumption. Includes tropical, subtropical, and temperate fruit species.
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Nut
Species that produce oily, hard-shelled seeds — usually from the high or emergent stratum (Brazil nut, pequi, baru). Typically long-cycle and nutrient-dense.
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Timber
Species whose trunks yield construction or fine-furniture timber. In syntropic systems the long cycle (decades to centuries) makes timber a long-term store of value.
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Fuelwood
Species whose wood is used for burning — wood stoves, ovens, biochar. Usually fast-growing and able to coppice (resprout after being cut to the base).
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Oil seed
Species whose seeds are pressed for edible or industrial oils (macaúba, babaçu, oil palm, avocado).
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Fiber
Species that yield plant fibres for weaving, basketry, cordage, or construction (cotton, jute, sisal, taquara reed, bamboo).
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Fodder
Species whose leaves or branches are harvested as animal feed. In livestock-integrated systems they overlap partly with biomass-producer species.
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Medicinal
Species with documented therapeutic use in traditional medicine or pharmacology. Not a substitute for medical advice — the catalog records the use, it does not recommend dosage.
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Aromatic
Species whose leaves, flowers, or fruits provide essential oils or culinary seasonings (basil, rosemary, lemongrass, cinnamon).
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Melliferous
Species whose flowers are a major source of nectar or pollen for honey production. Strategic in systems integrated with beekeeping or stingless-bee keeping.
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Dye
Species that yield natural dyes from leaves, fruits, bark, or roots (annatto, turmeric, indigo).
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Ornamental
Species grown for aesthetic value — flowers, foliage, form, fragrance. In syntropic systems they usually carry other functions too (pollinator attractor, ground cover, biomass).
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Ritual
Species used in ceremonial, religious, spiritual, or cultural traditions (jurema, ayahuasca, rue, guiné). Informational category: the catalog does not guide use.
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Biomass class
How a plant's prunings act on the soil. A distinction coined for use in this catalog, aligned with Brazilian syntropic practice.
Fertilizer biomass (adubadora)
Nitrogen-rich biomass that decomposes quickly and feeds soil microbial life directly. Examples: inga, gliricidia, Mexican sunflower, legumes generally.
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Mulch biomass (cobertura)
Carbon-rich biomass that decomposes slowly and forms persistent mulch, protecting the soil and cycling nutrients gradually. Examples: banana, eucalyptus, mombasa grass, bamboo.
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Both fertilizer and mulch
Species that combine the two functions. Reduce the total number of species needed without losing the balance between the biomass types.
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Not classified
Species whose primary role is not biomass production — usually fruit or medicinal species whose contribution is something else.
Biomes
The six Brazilian biomes per IBGE. A single biome can span several climates; see the Köppen classification below.
Amazon
Largest Brazilian biome and the largest tropical rainforest on Earth. Hot and humid climate over generally nutrient-poor soils — system fertility lives in the biomass. The reference benchmark for syntropic systems: natural succession already shows how to build soil through cover, shade, and continuous pruning.
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Atlantic Forest
Humid tropical forest that once covered Brazil's entire east coast. Less than 12% of original cover remains — restoring it is one of the central goals of Brazilian syntropic agriculture. High diversity of fruit, timber, and pioneer species adapted to a tropical-highland climate.
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Cerrado
Tropical savanna of central Brazil — the most biodiverse savanna on Earth. Pronounced dry season (4–6 months), deep acidic soils, fire integrated into species dynamics. Cerrado species typically have deep roots, thick bark, and tolerance to fire and drought — valuable traits for systems in seasonal climates.
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Caatinga
A uniquely Brazilian semi-arid biome. Deciduous vegetation adapted to prolonged drought (8–10 months): cacti, deep-rooted trees, species whose phenology is rain-driven. For agroforestry systems in semi-arid zones, Caatinga offers the richest pool of xerophytic species in the hemisphere.
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Pampa
Grasslands of the southern cone, shared with Argentina and Uruguay. Subtropical climate, dominated by grasses and herbaceous legumes, with riparian woodlands along watercourses. Syntropic systems in the Pampa start from open grassland and build forest — a different trajectory from the tropics.
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Pantanal
The world's largest seasonal floodplain. An annual flood-and-dry cycle governs vegetation: floodable grasslands, forest islands, and elevated ridges. Syntropic design here demands flood-tolerant species and planting strategies that follow microtopography.
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Köppen classification
International climate classification system. Useful for users outside Brazil and to distinguish climates within a single biome.
Tropical rainforest (Af)
Hot and humid year-round, with no marked dry season. Monthly rainfall above 60 mm. Typical of the Amazon and northern coast. Syntropic systems thrive here — the limiting factor is light, not water.
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Tropical monsoon (Am)
Hot year-round, with a short drier season offset by high annual rainfall. Common in parts of the eastern Amazon and the humid northeastern coast.
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Tropical savanna with dry winter (Aw)
Wet summers and a marked dry winter (4–6 months). The dominant climate of the Cerrado, central-west, and sub-humid northeast. Calls for deep-rooted species and a deliberate water-management plan.
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Hot semi-arid (BSh)
Hot, with scarce and irregular rainfall (300–800 mm/year). The climate of the Caatinga. Agroforestry here starts from xerophytic species and prioritises water capture and infiltration.
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Hot desert (BWh)
Desert climate, with less than 250 mm/year of rainfall. Rare in Brazil; only occurs in small pockets of the extreme semi-arid. Viable systems require irrigation and extremely drought-tolerant species.
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Humid subtropical (Cfa)
Hot summers and mild winters, with rainfall distributed year-round. The climate of southern São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and northern Rio Grande do Sul. Supports a wide range of tropical and subtropical fruit species.
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Oceanic (Cfb)
Mild summers with no dry season. Highland areas of southern Brazil and southern South America. Favours temperate-climate species: peach, apple, pear, walnut.
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Hot-summer Mediterranean (Csa)
Hot dry summers and mild humid winters. Does not occur in Brazil; relevant for users in parts of Chile and Mediterranean Europe.
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Warm-summer Mediterranean (Csb)
Warm dry summers and rainy winters. Coastal areas of Mediterranean regions in both hemispheres.
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Subtropical with dry winter (Cwa)
Hot wet summers and dry winters. Common in central-southern Brazil and parts of inland São Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Goiás.
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Subtropical highland (Cwb)
Mild wet summers and dry winters. Highland areas of southeastern Brazil above ~800 m. Allows rare combinations: high-altitude coffee alongside temperate fruit species.
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Hot-summer humid continental (Dfa)
Hot summers and severe snowy winters. Does not occur in Brazil; included for users in the continental northern hemisphere.
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Warm-summer humid continental (Dfb)
Warm summers and severe snowy winters. Does not occur in Brazil; included for users in the northern hemisphere.
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Biome / climate relation
How a plant relates to a listed biome or climate band — not the same as being a Brazilian native.
Native
Species originating from the biome or climate band. Usually integrated into local ecological networks (pollinators, dispersers, microbiota).
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Naturalized
Introduced species that has established locally without cultivation, integrating into the ecosystem without significant negative impact.
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Suitable
Species that grows well under the biome or climate's conditions without being native or naturalized. Suitable for cultivation, but maintained by the farmer.
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Invasive
Species that, outside its native biome, escapes cultivation, establishes aggressively, and displaces native species. Plant with caution or avoid.
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Light requirement
Light range suited to the adult plant. May shift across the life cycle: many low-stratum species need more light when young.
Full sun
Needs direct sunlight for most of the day. Species adapted to the emergent and high strata, or grown in consortiums with only partial shade.
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Partial sun
Needs at least 4–6 hours of direct sun, but tolerates shade for the rest of the day.
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Partial shade
Grows best under filtered light or with only a few hours of direct sun. Medium and low strata of established systems.
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Full shade
Adapted to understory with little direct light. Usually ground-cover species or juvenile climax-stage plants.
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Water requirement
Approximate annual rainfall or irrigation the plant needs.
Low
Tolerates long dry periods. Xerophytic species, common in Caatinga, Cerrado, and semi-arid climates.
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Moderate
Requires regular rainfall during the growing cycle, but tolerates short dry seasons.
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High
Needs moist soil year-round. Species of the Atlantic Forest, Amazon, or riparian zones.
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Propagation
Methods by which the plant can be multiplied. A given species typically accepts more than one.
Seed
Multiplication by seed germination. Greater genetic diversity; cycle to production may be long.
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Cutting
A piece of branch or stem planted directly. Preserves the mother plant's traits; fast for many fruit and biomass species.
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Air layering
Inducing roots on a branch still attached to the mother plant, then separating it. Useful for species hard to root from cuttings.
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Grafting
Joining the aerial part (scion) of one plant onto the rootstock of another. Combines root vigor with fruit quality.
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Division
Separating clumps or rhizomes into independent seedlings. Common in banana, ginger, turmeric.
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Runners / suckers
Plants that emit lateral shoots with their own roots. Common in strawberries, pineapple, some grasses.
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Tissue culture
Lab propagation in sterile media. Allows high multiplication from a few mother cells; mostly used in commercial programs.
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Nitrogen fixer (shortcut)
A specific shortcut in the catalog filter: alongside appearing in the ecological-services list, nitrogen fixers get a dedicated toggle because of their central role in syntropic management.
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