Novedades en Calibrachoa (Solanaceae) y notas taxonómicas sobre el género para la Argentina

Se describe e ilustra una nueva subespecie de Calibrachoa para Argentina y Brasil: C. linoides subsp. furcata. Se excluye a C. heterophylla de la flora argentina. Se consideran a C. linearis y a Petunia thymifolia f. gracilis como nuevos sinónimos de C. thymifolia y se esclarecen interpretaciones erróneas de dos especies (C. pubescens y C. humilis), previamente citadas para Argentina. Se designan lectotipos para Fabiana thymifolia, Petunia thymifolia f. gracilis y Salpiglossis linearis (= C. thymifolia).A new subspecies of Calibrachoa from Argentina and Brazil is described and ilustrated: C. linoides subsp. furcata. Calibrachoa heterophylla is excluded from the Argentinean flora. Calibrachoa linearisand Petunia thymifolia f. gracilis are considered as new synonyms of C. thymifolia, and misinterpreta-tions about two species (C. pubescens and C. humilis) previously cited for Argentina are clarified. Lec-totypes are designated for Fabiana thymifolia, Petunia thymifolia f. gracilis, and Salpiglossis linearis(= C. thymifolia)Instituto de FloriculturaFil: Greppi, Julian Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Floricultura; ArgentinaFil: Hagiwara, Juan Carlos. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Floricultura; ArgentinaFil: Stehmann, João R. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas. Departamento de Botânica; Brasi

A new species of <i>Habenaria </i>(Orchidaceae, Asparagales) and a checklist of Orchidaceae from limestone outcrops of Brazil

Habenaria karstica J.A.N.Bat. sp. nov., a new species from limestone outcrops (i.e., karst) in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, is described. The new species is ecologically very distinct since it is the only Neotropical species of the genus that grows on limestone outcrops under full sun, associated with mat-forming saxicolous plants. It is morphologically similar to species of the Habenaria repens complex, and separation is only possible through a combination of morphological characters. Bayesian and parsimony phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear (rDNA ITS, ETS) and plastid (matK-trnK, rps16-trnK) DNA markers revealed that H. karstica belongs to H. sect. Spathaceae. The new species, however, differs in floral morphology from the other species in this clade. A survey of the literature and public plants datasets revealed 122 species and 58 genera of Orchidaceae in karsts of Brazil. Although small compared to the familyâs diversity in the country, Orchidaceae is among the families with the highest number of species in some karst localities. Our results indicate that approximately 97% of Orchidaceae found in karsts of Brazil is not limited to limestone outcrops areas, and that species composition of each locality is primarily determined by the regional flora and the biome in which it is located.</p

Real identity of Witheringia sellowiana (Solanaceae), typification and chromosome number

The identity of Witheringia sellowiana, a narrow endemic species from São Paulo (Brazil), is reconsidered. After analysis of the protologue and the morphological characters of the type material and recent flowering collections, a new combination is proposed ( Aureliana sellowiana (Sendtn.) Barboza & Stehmann). A lectotype and epitype are designated here. A detailed description and illustration, an analysis of the karyotype of A. sellowiana, and a discussion of its closest relatives are provided. A key to differentiate the species of Aureliana is also given.Fil: Barboza, Gloria Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (p); ArgentinaFil: Chiarini, Franco Ezequiel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (p); ArgentinaFil: Stehmann, João R.. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Instituto de Ciências Biológicas. Departamento de Botânica; Brasi

Phylogenetic relationships of Petunia patagonica (Solanaceae) revealed by molecular and biogeographical evidence

Petunia patagonica is restricted to the Patagonian region of Argentina and its identity is controversial. The species was described in the genus Nierembergia, and subsequently transferred to the genus Petunia. However, several morphological characteristics of P. patagonica as well as its geographical distribution differ from other Petunia species, and it has been repeatedly considered an exception in the genus. Using one nuclear and two cpDNA markers for 22 species representing seven genera of the tribe Petunieae, we analyzed phylogenetic and biogeographic evidence to clarify the phylogenetic position of P. patagonica. Our results suggest that P. patagonica is not a member of the genus Petunia and is closer to Fabiana imbricata. In addition, Calibrachoa appears basal within the Petunia, Calibrachoa, and Fabiana clades, and Fabiana and Petunia are sister genera. This result led us to reconstruct an ancestral region for this clade within the subtropical grasslands of South America. Subsequent dispersion to the Patagonian and Andean regions was inferred in the divergence of Fabiana and P. patagonica. Our work suggests a need for more studies towards a new generic placement. Ancestral area reconstruction suggests that the origin of the Calibrachoa, Fabiana and Petunia lineages was located in the subtropical grasslands of South America, and the colonization of the Andes and Patagonia seems to be divergent and was achieved only for species belonging to the Fabiana and P. patagonica clades.Instituto de FloriculturaFil: Reck-Kortmann, Maikel. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Laboratory of Molecular Evolution, Department of Genetics; BrasilFil: Silva-Arias, Gustavo A. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Laboratory of Molecular Evolution, Department of Genetics; BrasilFil: Stehmann, João R. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Laboratory of Plant Systematic, Department of Botany; BrasilFil: Greppi, Julian Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Floricultura; ArgentinaFil: Freitas, Loreta B.Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Laboratory of Molecular Evolution, Department of Genetics; Brasi

Floristic and ecological characterization of habitat types on an inselberg in Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT Inselbergs are granitic or gneissic rock outcrops, distributed mainly in tropical and subtropical regions. They are considered terrestrial islands because of their strong spatial and ecological isolation, thus harboring a set of distinct plant communities that differ from the surrounding matrix. In Brazil, inselbergs scattered in the Atlantic Forest contain unusually high levels of plant species richness and endemism. This study aimed to inventory species of vascular plants and to describe the main habitat types found on an inselberg located in the state of Minas Gerais, in southeastern Brazil. A total of 89 species of vascular plants were recorded (belonging to 37 families), of which six were new to science. The richest family was Bromeliaceae (10 spp.), followed by Cyperaceae (seven spp.), Orchidaceae and Poaceae (six spp. each). Life forms were distributed in different proportions between habitats, which suggested distinct microenvironments on the inselberg. In general, habitats under similar environmental stress shared common species and life-form proportions. We argue that floristic inventories are still necessary for the development of conservation strategies and management of the unique vegetation on inselbergs in Brazil

Floristic units and their predictors unveiled in part of the Atlantic Forest hotspot: implications for conservation planning

ABSTRACT We submitted tree species occurrence and geoclimatic data from 59 sites in a river basin in the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil to ordination, ANOVA, and cluster analyses with the goals of investigating the causes of phytogeographic patterns and determining whether the six recognized subregions represent distinct floristic units. We found that both climate and space were significantly (p &#8804; 0.05) important in the explanation of phytogeographic patterns. Floristic variations follow thermal gradients linked to elevation in both coastal and inland subregions. A gradient of precipitation seasonality was found to be related to floristic variation up to 100 km inland from the ocean. The temperature of the warmest quarter and the precipitation during the coldest quarter were the main predictors. The subregions Sandy Coastal Plain, Coastal Lowland, Coastal Highland, and Central Depression were recognized as distinct floristic units. Significant differences were not found between the Inland Highland and the Espinhaço Range, indicating that these subregions should compose a single floristic unit encompassing all interior highlands. Because of their ecological peculiarities, the ferric outcrops within the Espinhaço Range may constitute a special unit. The floristic units proposed here will provide important information for wiser conservation planning in the Atlantic Forest hotspot

Challenges and perspectives for species distribution modelling in the neotropics

The workshop ‘Species distribution models: applications, challenges and perspectives’ held at Belo Horizonte (Brazil), 29–30 August 2011, aimed to review the state-of-the-art in species distribution modelling (SDM) in the neotropical realm. It brought together researchers in ecology, evolution, biogeography and conservation, with different backgrounds and research interests. The application of SDM in the megadiverse neotropics—where data on species occurrences are scarce—presents several challenges, involving acknowledging the limitations imposed by data quality, including surveys as an integral part of SDM studies, and designing the analyses in accordance with the question investigated. Specific solutions were discussed, and a code of good practice in SDM studies and related field surveys was drafted

Leaf Structure and Taxonomy of Petunia and Calibrachoa (Solanaceae)

We studied the leaf anatomy of sixteen species of Calibrachoa and eight species of Petunia. In Calibrachoa leaves, the vascular bundles sheath (endodermis) was formed by parenchymatous developed cells, different from those of the mesophyll. In Petunia, this sheath did not show a marked morphological differentiation. The Calibrachoa leaves could be separated according to the type of leaf margins, the distribution of the stomata on leaf surfaces, the organization of the mesophyll and the morphology of the trichomes. Based on these results, an indented dichotomous identification key was elaborated for the species of the genus Calibrachoa.<br>Foram estudados, sob o ponto de vista anatômico, os limbos foliares de dezesseis espécies de Calibrachoa Llav. & Lex. e de oito espécies de Petunia Juss. (Solanaceae). Em Calibrachoa, a bainha que envolve os feixes vasculares (endoderme) é formada por células desenvolvidas e distintas das do mesofilo. Em Petunia, esta bainha não apresenta diferenciação morfológica marcante. As folhas das espécies de Calibrachoa foram separadas entre si levando-se em conta a distribuição dos estômatos nas faces foliares, a organização do mesofilo, o tipo de bordo e a morfologia dos tricomas. Com base nesses resultados, foi elaborada uma chave dicotômica indentada de identificação para as espécies do gênero Calibrachoa

Research infrastructure and biodiversity data usage in Brazil.

<p>(A) Distribution of Rede Nacional de Ensino e Pesquisa (RNP) metropolitan networks (December 2014). (B) Distribution of <i>species</i>Link’s data providers (per institution) and amount of records shared (December 2014). (C) <i>species</i>Link data usage (sessions) across Brazil (2014). <i>Image credit</i>: <i>Eduardo G</i>. <i>Baena</i>.</p