Flora da Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brasil: Bromeliaceae - Tillandsioideae

Apresenta-se o tratamento taxonômico de Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae) para o projeto "Flora da Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brasil". A subfamília está representada na área de estudo por quatro gêneros e 24 espécies: Alcantarea (2 espécies), Racinaea (1 espécie), Tillandsia (9 espécies) e Vriesea (12 espécies). São apresentadas chaves para gêneros e espécies, descrições e ilustrações, bem como comentários sobre a taxonomia, distribuição geográfica e fenologia. Propõe-se a sinonimização de Vriesea monacorum L.B.Sm. sob V. schwackeana Mez. Alcantarea hatschbachii é redescoberta.The taxonomic treatment of Tillandsioideae (Bromeliaceae) for the project"Flora of Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brasil" is presented. The subfamily is represented in the study area by four genera and 24 species: Alcantarea (2 species), Racinaea (1 species), Tillandsia (9 species) and Vriesea (12 species). Descriptions and illustrations as well as comments on the taxonomy, geographic distribution, phenology, and keys to genera and species are presented. A new synonym, Vriesea monacorum L.B.Sm., is considered under the concept of V. schwackeana Mez. Alcantarea hatschbachii is rediscovered

Private environmental consultancy reveals five genera and ten species of angiosperms new to Rio Grande do Norte state, northeastern Brazil

New occurrences of 10 species of angiosperms from Rio Grande do Norte state are reported. These data were collected by an environmental consultancy prior to the establishment of a wind farm. These records demonstrate the presence of knowledge gaps in the Caatinga flora of the state and show how an environmental consultancy can positively contribute towards the documentation of biodiversity in areas prior to their modification by human activities. In particular, at a time when the Brazilian Congress is discussing the elimination of environmental studies for licensing new developments, these new occurrence data highlight the importance of environmental studies

Gene flow and diversification in a species complex of Alcantarea inselberg bromeliads

Inselberg-adapted species of bromeliads (Bromeliaceae) have been suggested as model systems for understanding the evolutionary genetics of species complexes and radiations in terrestrial, island-like environments. Bromeliads are particularly suitable for addressing the potential roles of interspecific gene exchange during plant speciation and radiation. We have studied populations of five narrowly endemic Alcantarea species adapted to high-elevation inselbergs of the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil with nuclear and plastid DNA markers, estimated outcrossing rates in the giant bromeliad A. imperialis using progeny arrays and carried out a pilot study on the use of next generation sequencing-based genotyping in this group. Our results suggest widespread and asymmetric interspecific gene flow in the studied species complex, which visibly affects patterns of genetic diversity in the phenotypically variable mixed outcrosser A. imperialis. Our data support the hypothesis that gene flow has contributed to the origin of phenotypic forms in the A. imperialis s.l. species complex. We discuss potential conflicts between our neutral marker data and previous taxonomic work and suggest how these might be resolved. We close with a brief outlook on the potential of genomic tools to uncover the hidden links between genotypes, phenotypes and niches in bromeliads and other plant radiations

Studied populations of the Neoregelia bahiana complex.

Average size of individuals from different populations of Neoregelia bahiana

Lapanthus (Bromeliaceae, Bromelioideae): A New Genus from the Southern Espinhaco Range, Brazil

In this paper we describe a new genus of Bromehaceae, Lapanthus, restricted to the southern portion of the Espinhaco Range, Minas Germs State, in southeastern Brazil Two new combinations to accommodate species previously described in the genera Orthophytum and cryptanthus and one new synonym are proposed Lapanthus has morphological affinities with both Cryptanthus and Orthophytum but nevertheless differs by the combination of margins of the petals ciliate, presence of lanceolate petal appendages and free stamens, and also by molecular data Cryptanthus and Orthophytum have petals entire along the margins, and the filaments of the most internal whorl are adnate to the petals Lapanthus stands out by having a pair of lanceolate petal appendages, which are almost completely adnate to the petals In Orthophytum, however, appendages are cupuhform or sacciform and they are totally absent in the genus Cryptanthus Lapanthus and Orthophytum present meiotic and mitotic chromosome numbers equal to n=25 and 2n=50, 100 and 150 respectively, while Cryptanthus presents meiotic and mitotic chromosome numbers n=17 and 2n=34, 36, 54 respectively, and this difference is considered to be an autapomorphic feature of Cryptanthus Descriptions of the genus and species, identification keys, illustrations, photographs of living specimens, and taxonomic comments are providedFundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP