Patterns of geographic distribution of the extra-Amazonian Brazilian species of Schefflera J. R. Forst. & G. Forst. (Araliaceae)

Uma análise da distribuição geográfica de Schefflera no Brasil extra-amazônico foi realizada com base em mapas atualizados plotando as ocorrências conhecidas das 26 espécies do gênero encontradas nessa grande área: S. angustissima (Marchal) Frodin, S. aurata Fiaschi, S. botumirimensis Fiaschi & Pirani, S. burchellii (Seem.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. calva (Cham.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. capixaba Fiaschi, S. cephalantha (Harms) Frodin, S. cordata (Taub.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. distractiflora (Harms) Frodin, S. fruticosa Fiaschi & Pirani, S. gardneri (Seem.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. glaziovii (Taub.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. grandigemma Fiaschi, S. kollmannii Fiaschi, S. longipetiolata (Pohl ex DC.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. lucumoides (Decne. & Planch. ex Marchal) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. macrocarpa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Frodin, S. malmei (Harms) Frodin, S. morototoni (Aubl.) Maguire, Steyermark & Frodin, S. racemifera Fiaschi & Frodin, S. ruschiana Fiaschi & Pirani, S. selloi (Marchal) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. succinea Frodin & Fiaschi, S. villosissima Fiaschi & Pirani, S. vinosa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Frodin & Fiaschi e S. aff. varisiana Frodin. Dois centros de endemismo associados com áreas de altitude elevada foram reconhecidos: Cadeia do Espinhaço em Minas Gerais e florestas montanas do Estado do Espírito Santo. Os padrões de distribuição geográfica ilustrados são discutidos com base em dados obtidos para outros grupos de angiospermas e em estudos fitogeográficos das principais fitocórias do Brasil extra-amazônico. São apresentadas também hipóteses acerca de prováveis relações filogenéticas entre alguns táxons, visando à busca de possíveis correlações entre estas e a biogeografia do grupo.An analysis of the geographic distribution of the 26 species of Schefflera from extra-Amazonian Brazil was prepared based on maps depicting the known occurrences of the taxa. These include: S. angustissima (Marchal) Frodin, S. aurata Fiaschi, S. botumirimensis Fiaschi & Pirani, S. burchellii (Seem.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. calva (Cham.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. capixaba Fiaschi, S. cephalantha (Harms) Frodin, S. cordata (Taub.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. distractiflora (Harms) Frodin, S. fruticosa Fiaschi & Pirani, S. gardneri (Seem.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. glaziovii (Taub.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. grandigemma Fiaschi, S. kollmannii Fiaschi, S. longipetiolata (Pohl ex DC.) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. lucumoides (Decne. & Planch. ex Marchal) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. macrocarpa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Frodin, S. malmei (Harms) Frodin, S. morototoni (Aubl.) Maguire, Steyermark & Frodin, S. racemifera Fiaschi & Frodin, S. ruschiana Fiaschi & Pirani, S. selloi (Marchal) Frodin & Fiaschi, S. succinea Frodin & Fiaschi, S. villosissima Fiaschi & Pirani, S. vinosa (Cham. & Schltdl.) Frodin & Fiaschi e S. aff. varisiana Frodin. Two centers of endemism associated with high-altitude areas were recognized: Espinhaço Range in Minas Gerais state and montane forests of Espírito Santo state. The geographic patterns found are discussed with regard to other groups of angiosperms, as well as to phytogeographic studies of the main extra-Amazonian Brazilian phytocoria. Some hypothesis concerning probable phylogenetic relationships among some taxa are analysed in the light of the observed distribution patterns.FAPESPCNP

Taxonomic revision of Croton sect. Lamprocroton (Müll. Arg.) Pax (Euphorbiaceae s.s.)

Croton is the second bigger and more diverse genus in the family Euphorbiaceae, with about 1,200 species distributed in 40 sections, occurring in all tropical areas, most of them in Americas. In South America, Brazil is the country in which a larger number of taxa are found, ca. 356. According to recent classification, the genus belongs to the tribe Crotoneae, and despite the wide and morphological diversity, it would be a monophyletic taxon. However, a phylogenetic analysis using markers of ITS region from nuclear ribosomal DNA, and of trnL-F from plastidial DNA, showed that Croton, like traditionally circumscribed, is not a monophyletic taxon. A taxonomic revision of Croton section Lamprocroton (Müll. Arg.) Pax is presented here. It is a Neotropical group with most of its species occurring from Southeast and South Brazil to southern South America (Uruguay and Argentina). Morphologically, the members of Lamprocroton are characterized as monoecious or dioecious shrubs or subshrubs, with a lepidote indumentum at least in part of foliage, entire leaves with no glands. The staminate flowers have 9 to 16 stamens and the pistillate flowers may have equal or unequal sepals, reduced to absent petals, and styles once or twice bifid. Overall, are recognized 26 species in the group, three of them new to the science. Identification key, morphological descriptions, illustrations, phenological period, as well as data on geographic distribution and general comments of each species are presented. Four taxa were excluded from C. sect. Lamprocroton because they do not show the morphological features that are diagnostics of the section. Four species that are poorly known were not included in the taxonomic treatment.O gênero Croton L. é o segundo maior e mais diverso da família Euphorbiaceae, possuindo cerca de 1.200 espécies, agrupadas em 40 seções, com distribuição pantropical, das quais a maioria ocorre nas Américas. Na América o Sul, o Brasil é o país que congrega o maior número de espécies, aproximadamente 356. De acordo com a mais recente classificação, o gênero pertence à tribo Crotoneae e, apesar do grande número de espécies e da grande diversidade morfológica, seria um táxon monofilético. Entretanto, uma análise filogenética recente, que utilizou dados moleculares das regiões ITS, do DNA nuclear ribossômico, e do fragmento trnL-F, do DNA plastidial, demonstrou que Croton, como tradicionalmente circunscrito, não é um táxon monofilético. Neste trabalho, é apresentada uma revisão taxonômica de Croton sect. Lamprocroton (Müll. Arg.) Pax. Trata-se de um grupo neotropical com a maioria das espécies ocorrendo nas regiões Sudeste e Sul do Brasil e sul da América do Sul. Seus representantes caracterizam-se por ser plantas arbustivas ou subarbustivas, monóicas ou dióicas, com indumento lepidoto presente em pelo menos parte da folhagem e folhas inteiras e sem glândulas. As flores estaminadas possuem androceu composto por 9 a 16 estames e as flores pistiladas apresentam sépalas iguais ou desiguais no tamanho, pétalas reduzidas ou ausentes e estiletes uma ou duas vezes bífidos. Neste trabalho são reconhecidas 26 espécies na seção sendo três novas para a ciência. Chave de identificação, descrições morfológicas, ilustrações, período fenológico, distribuição geográfica e comentários gerais de cada uma das espécies são apresentados. Quatro táxons foram excluídos de C. sect. Lamprocroton por não possuírem os caracteres morfológicos diagnósticos da seção. Quatro espécies não foram incluídas no tratamento taxonômico por falta de informação sobre as mesmas.FAPES

Graphdiyne based membranes: exceptional performances for helium separation applications

Graphdiyne is a novel two-dimensional material deriving from graphene that has been recently synthesized and featuring uniformly distributed sub-nanometer pores. We report accurate calculations showing that graphdiyne pores permit an almost unimpeded helium transport which can be used for its chemical and isotopic separation. Exceptionally high He/CH_4 selectivities are found which largely exceed the performance of the best membranes used to date for extraction from natural gas. Moreover, by exploiting slight differences in the tunneling probabilities of ^3He and ^4He, we also find promising results for the separation of the Fermionic isotope at low temperature

Fusion within and between whorls of floral organs in Galipeinae (Rutaceae): structural features and evolutionary implications

Background and Aims Most genera of the neotropical Galipeinae (tribe Galipeeae, Rutoideae) exhibit several forms and degrees of fusion between the floral organs, including the union of petals into an apparently sympetalous corolla, the joining of the stamens among themselves and to the corolla, and the partial to complete connation of carpels. Though these and others floral traits are currently used in the circumscription of species in Galipeinae, few studies have shown in detail in which way (postgenital or congenital) and to what extent these fusions occur. To elucidate these anatomical conditions, a structural study of the flowers of the Galipeinae species was carried out. Methods Flowers of six species from three genera of Galipeinae were studied in their morphology, anatomy and development with stereomicroscopy, light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Key Results The floral tube is formed by synorganization of stamens with petals in all species, and exhibits three main patterns: (1) Conchocarpus heterophyllus and C. minutiflorus have a floral tube formed by marginal coherence/adherence of petals and filaments due to interwining trichomes (postgenital connection); (2) Erythrochiton brasiliensis has a tube formed by congenital fusion of petals and filaments; and (3) Galipea jasminiflora and Conchocarpus macrophyllus have a tube formed distally with the first pattern, and proximally with the second pattern. Although floral tubes seem to be homologous within Galipeinae, this is not true at the level of the family: the floral tube of Correa (from an only distantly related clade of the family) is formed by postgenital union of the petals representing a convergent structure. The gynoecium of the studied species of Galipeinae shows a great variability in the extent of fusion of carpel flanks. Even though different structures for the mature gynoecium were found in each genus, all genera show postgenitally fused carpel apices, which is related to the formation of a compitum, as described earlier for other members of Rutaceae. Conclusions The degree and diversity of fusions of floral organs in Galipeinae is unique within the order Sapindales. A study of the amount of diversification of Galipeinae in South America and comparison with other clades of Rutaceae would be of interes

Análise sobre a interferência antrópica na origem dos campos do Núcleo Curucutu, Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar, São Paulo

Com o objetivo de investigar a importância da interferência antrópica na origem dos campos situados junto da crista da Serra do Mar, no município de São Paulo, realizou-se levantamento em diversas fontes de dados históricos que abrangessem a região, especialmente sob o aspecto de atividades econômicas, expansão urbana e vias de comunicação, como possíveis fatores de impacto sobre a vegetação. Verificou-se que a atividade de carvoarias, em meados do século XX, constituiu-se no principal fator de degradação local. Essa atividade, contudo, não é suficiente para explicar a ocorrência de campos no local, embora, possivelmente, tenha retardado a substituição natural dos campos por matas. Discute-se a importância da flora do Núcleo Curucutu para medidas de resgate histórico da flora do município de São Paulo.Aiming to investigate the importance of human interference on the origin of grasslands on crests of Serra do Mar in the municipality of São Paulo, a survey was made using several types of historical records. The latter dealt with the region, particularly with features of economic activities, urban expansion and communicating paths as possible factors impacting the vegetation. Timber felling for charcoal production in the midst of the 20th century was the main factor for local degradation. However, such activity was not strong enough to account for the total occurrence of local grasslands. A possibility is admitted, however, that charcoal production has delayed the natural grassland replacement for rain forest. The Curucutu flora is discussed in connection with its importance as means for the historical recovery of the flora of São Paulo municipality

Flora da Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais: cardiopteridaceae

The study of the family Cardiopteridaceae constitutes a contribution to the project "Flora of the Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brasil". The family is represented in the area by one species, Citronella paniculata (Mart.) Howard, which has been collected just in one montane forest at the study area. A description, illustrations and comments on the geographic distribution and habitat of this species are presented.O estudo da família Cardiopteridaceae constitui contribuição ao projeto "Flora da Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brasil". A família está representada na área por uma espécie, Citronella paniculata (Mart.) Howard, que foi coletada em apenas um capão de mata da área de estudo. São apresentadas uma descrição, ilustrações e comentários sobre o habitat e a distribuição geográfica dessa espécie

Phylogeny of helieae (gentianaceae): resolving taxonomic chaos in a neotropical clade

The monophyletic and Neotropical tribe Helieae of the worldwide family Gentianaceae (Gentianales, Asterids, Angiospermae) is well known for its problematic generic classifications. An initial phylogenetic analysis of Helieae shed light onto the relationships between genera, and indicated that traditional generic limits did not correspond to monophyletic groups. In order to obtain a more thorough understanding of generic relationships within the group, we enhanced sampling within the so-called Symbolanthus clade and performed phylogenetic analyses from DNA sequences from one plastid region (matK) and two nuclear regions (ITS and 5S-NTS), plus 112 morphological characters, which were analyzed separately and in combination, using parsimony and Bayesian approaches. A total of 83 individuals representing 20 genera and 51 species of Helieae were sampled; 13 species were included in this study solely based on their morphological characters. Ancestral character reconstructions were performed to identify potential synapomorphies of clades and patterns of homoplasy in the morphological dataset. Our results demonstrate that Prepusa is sister to the remainder of Helieae. Furthermore, the Macrocarpaea clade, the Irlbachia clade and the Symbolanthus clade were also recovered. Within the Symbolanthus clade, our results confirm that Calolisianthus and Chelonanthus are not monophyletic, and also contest the monophyly of Irlbachia as currently circumscribed. Specifically, two species of Calolisianthus group with the type species of Chelonanthus, while the other Calolisianthus species are more closely related to Tetrapollinia and Symbolanthus. Moreover, the green-white-flowered Chelonanthus species and Adenolisianthus are undoubtedly related to Helia and several analyses support Irlbachia pratensis as more closely related to the lineage including the type species of Chelonanthus described above The addition of new characters and taxa led to higher confidence in the relative position of some clades, as well as provided further support for a new generic circumscription of Calolisianthus, Chelonanthus, and Helia. Even though several morphological characters traditionally used in the taxonomy of the group were shown to be homoplasious, most clades can be diagnosed by a combination of morphological character states10619220

Flora da Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais: Winteraceae

O estudo da família Winteraceae é parte do levantamento da Flora da Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Esta família está representada naquela área por uma só espécie, Drimys brasiliensis Miers. São apresentadas descrição, ilustrações e comentários sobre a sua variabilidade e distribuição geográfica

Flora da Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais: Oleaceae

O estudo da família Oleaceae é parte do levantamento da Flora da Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Esta família está representada naquela área por uma só espécie, Chionanthus crassifolius (Mart.) P.S.Green. São apresentadas descrição, ilustrações e comentários sobre a sua variabilidade e distribuição geográfica