Natural regeneration of Lophira alata under seed trees of different size classes was investigated in the tropical moist forest in Southern Cameroon soon after seed fall. Seedling density was highest when seed tree diameter at breast height (dbh) was 100 cm or more. A strong positive correlation was found between seed tree dbh and crown size expressed as mean diameter of projected crown area, but only crown size correlated much better with seedling density. Compared with their counterparts of the same height growing in loading bays with full sunlight but devoid of litter and topsoil, seedlings found in understorey exhibited lower root : shoot ratio, indicating that soil-derived resources were more limiting in loading bays than in undisturbed forest floor. Leaf weight per area (leaf dry weight/leaf area, LWA) and leaf packing (leaf number/cm shoot height) were almost 2-fold greater in loading bays than in understorey. As seedlings seldom grew past 50 cm high in the latter environment, it may be inferred that shoot/root ratio, LWA, and leaf packing can be used to assess the sustainability of growth and development of this pioneer species at the seedling stage.