Andrea Ferreira da Costa

New Brazilian Floristic List Highlights Conservation Challenges

A comprehensive new inventory of Brazilian plants and fungi was published just in time to meet a 2010 Convention on Biological Diversity target and offers important insights into this biodiversitys global significance. Brazil is the home to the worlds richest flora (40,989 species; 18,932 endemic) and includes two of the hottest hotspots: Mata Atlântica (19,355 species) and Cerrado (12,669 species). Although the total number of known species is one-third lower than previous estimates, the absolute number of endemic vascular plant species is higher than was previously estimated, and the proportion of endemism (56%) is the highest in the Neotropics. This compilation serves not merely to quantify the scale of the challenge faced in conserving Brazils unique flora but also serves as a key resource to direct action and monitor progress. Similar efforts by other megadiverse countries are urgently required if the 2020 targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation are to be attained.

Morphological Phylogenetics of Quesnelia (Bromeliaceae, Bromelioideae)

Abstract The genus Quesnelia presently includes 18 species, which occur mainly near the east coast of Brazil from the states of Rio de Janeiro to Bahia. The genus has been divided into two subgenera, Quesnelia and Billbergiopsis. However, its generic and subgeneric delimitation is artificial: in several classifications proposed in the family, different investigators have questioned the naturalness of the group, noting its affinity with species of Aechmea and Billbergia. With the objective of assessing the monophyly of the genus, and evaluating the subgeneric delimitation and the relationship of its species to other genera, a phylogenetic analysis was carried out based on parsimony. The analysis included 33 taxa, with 92 morphological characters. The genera Quesnelia and Aechmea emerged as polyphyletic, and Billbergia as monophyletic. In regard to the subgeneric classification, Quesnelia subgenus Quesnelia emerged as monophyletic, and Quesnelia subgenus Billbergiopsis as polyphyletic. The majority of the species of Quesnelia subgenus Billbergiopsis emerged as the sister group to Billbergia. Even when anatomical and palynological characters were included, the consistency index of the tree obtained was low, indicating high levels of homoplasy. In addition, the majority of clades did not have good statistical support. Therefore, taxonomic changes are not proposed because these would be premature.

A Morphological Cladistic Analysis of the Vriesea corcovadensis Group (Bromeliaceae: Tillandsiodeae), with Anatomical Descriptions: New Evidence of the Non-Monophyly of the Genus

Abstract Vriesea is the second-largest genus of Bromeliaceae, with more than 280 species. Although the genus is traditionally circumscribed as a natural group, all phylogenetic analysis undertaken indicates its polyphyletic origin. Several groups of Vriesea species are difficult to define taxonomically based on morphological characters only, including the Vriesea corcovadensis group, composed of 11 species. We evaluated the monophyly and relationships among the species of the V. corcovadensis group through a maximum parsimony morphological analysis. The data set contains information about all 11 species placed in this group; in addition, species from six related genera of Tillandsioideae were included, for a total of 23 terminal taxa. Two separate analyses were carried out, the first containing 54 characters (42 from external morphology and 12 from leaf anatomy), and the second containing only characters from external morphology. The purpose of this distinction was to evaluate the phylogenetic signal of the anatomical characters. The first analysis with 54 characters produced two most-parsimonious trees with 239 steps, CI = 0.40 and RI = 0.54. The second analysis with 42 characters generated six trees with 187 steps, CI = 0.39 and RI = 0.52. The prior separation of the V. corcovadensis group was not supported in either analysis, confirming the difficulty of circumscribing monophyletic groups in the genus. Use of the anatomical characters helped to produce a tree with higher resolution. The leaf anatomy of the group is described for the first time. We report anatomical features among the different species of the V. corcovadensis group, thus corroborating the analysis based on characteristics of external morphology for these species. All of these features are apparently plesiomorphic, since the group was shown to be paraphyletic. However, only through a comprehensive analysis of Tillandsioideae as whole will it become possible to identify monophyletic groups in Vriesea with some accuracy.

A Taxonomic Revision of Vriesea corcovadensis Group (Bromeliaceae: Tillandsioideae) with Description of Two New Species

Abstract The Vriesea corcovadensis (section Vriesea) group consists of 11 species occurring exclusively in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. This group is defined by the presence of polystichous and distichous flowers, utriculiform rosettes, presence of stolons, and linear-triangular leaf blades with a maximum width of 1.5 cm. We present a taxonomic revision based on observation of herbarium material and living specimens. We provide the geographical distribution, etymology, phenology, and morphological illustrations of the species, in addition to new and detailed taxonomic descriptions and a key for their identification. We describe V. microrachis and V. rubens and a neotype for V. rectifolia is designated. The circumscription of V. triangularis remains doubtful until additional material is available for study.

Vriesea (Bromeliaceae, Tillandsioideae): taxonomic history, and morphology of the Brazilian lineage1

Abstract The genus Vriesea Lindl. comprises about 290 species distributed into two sections: V. sect. Vriesea and V. sect. Xiphion. The genus is recognized as polyphyletic and is historically associated with Tillandsia L., differing from it mainly due to the presence of petal appendages. Here we focus our efforts on the Vriesea taxa in its main center of diversity in southeastern Brazil that are considered to constitute a monophyletic group based on molecular analyses as well as a total evidence approach. We present a morphological description of the species from the Brazilian lineage, and the taxonomic history of the genus. We based our results on extensive bibliographic research and morphological analyses of herbarium material and living specimens, as well as illustrations of the main taxonomic characteristics of the Brazilian lineage of the genus.

Leaf anatomy of Quesnelia (Bromeliaceae): implications for the systematics of core bromelioids

Quesnelia is an endemic genus of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. It features 21 species and three varieties that are distributed from Santa Catarina to Bahia, with diversity centers in the Rio de Janeiro coastal region and the rainforest of southern Bahia. It is divided into the subgenera Quesnelia subg. Quesnelia and Quesnelia subg. Billbergiopsis. In this study, the leaf anatomy of all species of Quesnelia is characterized and compared by multivariate analysis to determine whether leaf anatomy confirms this subgeneric division. The results demonstrate that leaf anatomy supports the existence of three distinct groups of species now classified under the genus Quesnelia. When compared to other species, the first group, which is represented by five Billbergiopsis taxa, is characterized by distinct anatomical arrangement, where the stomata are positioned at the same level as the epidermis, the water storage tissue is poorly developed, and extra-fascicular fiber strands are distributed throughout the mesophyll. The remaining groups support the subgenera Quesnelia and Billbergiopsis, which differ basically in terms of the contour of the leaf in transverse sections, size and cell type of the adaxial water storage tissue, and the presence of extra-fascicular fiber strands. Comparing with anatomical data available in the literature for Bromelioideae, these results indicate the similarity of Quesnelia with Aechmea, Canistrum and Billbergia, which corroborates morphological and molecular phylogenies, and thus support future taxonomic circumscriptions of these important genera from the core Bromelioideae.

Vriesea (Bromeliaceae, Tillandsioideae): a cladistic analysis of eastern Brazilian species based on morphological characters

with about 280 species distributed in two sections, Vriesea and Xiphion, is recognized as polyphyletic. We provide the cladistic analysis based on morphological data, with emphasis on species from eastern Brazil, its main center of diversity, which emerged as a monophyletic group in previous molecular and combined analysis. The data matrix contained information of 60 species of Vriesea, and two of Alcantarea, for a total of 62 terminal taxa and 66 characters. The analysis produced one tree with 652 steps. The classic infrage- neric division of the sections was not corroborated. Characters traditionally used to separate the two sections supported clades containing species from both sections. Morphologically related monophyletic groups were recognized. Some characters have been highlighted as potentially important in the circumscription of small groups of species and have not yet been much used in the systematics of Vriesea.

Taxonomic Notes on Vriesea Sect. Xiphion (Bromeliaceae) with Descriptions of Three New Species

Abstract Vriesea is a large genus comprising several groups of species with controversial limits. The taxonomic revision of small monophyletic groups has been an important approach to improve our understanding of the taxonomy of the genus. After the taxonomic revision of the monophyletic group belonging to Vriesea sect. Xiphion, comprised of species with simple inflorescences, flowers patent during anthesis and not secund, and decurrent floral bract bases, this paper describes three species as new: Vriesea carmenae, Vriesea gelatinosa, and Vriesea zildae; and proposes one synonym. The species occur mainly in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and Cerrado domains, and are morphologically similar to V. bituminosa and V. wawranea.

Moraceae das restingas do estado do Rio de Janeiro

Resumo As restingas sao planicies arenosas ao longo da costa litorânea que exibem uma rica e peculiar vegetacao. As Moraceae nativas do Brasil englobam principalmente plantas lenhosas de porte arboreo que participam do estagio mais avancado das matas de restinga. Atraves de bibliografia especializada, consultas a herbarios e coletas de campo, objetivou-se elucidar a taxonomia, identificar os habitats preferenciais, atualizar a area de ocorrencia e reconhecer o atual estado de conservacao das especies dessa familia. Nas restingas fluminenses ocorrem cinco generos e 20 especies de Moraceae. Na Formacao de Mata Seca acham-se presentes 16 especies, na Mata Inundavel oito e na Arbustiva Fechada seis. Dessas especies, 15 encontram-se ameacadas de extincao, principalmente: Ficus pulchella e Maclura brasiliensis. Palavras -chave: Urticales, taxonomia, Mata Atlântica, conservacao Abstract Restingas are sandy coastal plains with a rich flora and distinct vegetation types. The native Brazilian Moraceae include primarily tall woody plants growing in the more developed stages of restinga forests, but they also include herbs and shrubs. Specialized bibliography, herbarium material and field collections, were used to elucidate the taxonomy, recognize the preferred habitats, update the area of occurrence and to recognize the current conservation status of its species. There are five genera and 20 species in Moraceae. In the Dry Forest formation occur 16 species, eight in Swamp Forest and six in Closed Shrub. These species, 15 are threatened of the extinction, mainly: Ficus pulchella and Maclura brasiliensis. Keywords: Urticales, taxonomy, Atlantic Forest, conservation.

Bromeliaceae do Parque Estadual da Serra do Rola-Moça, Minas Gerais

O Parque Estadual da Serra do Rola-Moca localiza-se na porcao centro-sul da Cadeia do Espinhaco, na regiao denominada Quadrilatero Ferrifero, nos municipios de Belo Horizonte, Brumadinho, Ibirite e Nova Lima. Apresenta como vegetacao os Campos Rupestres ferruginosos e quartiziticos, Floresta Estacional Semidecidual e Cerrado. O presente trabalho teve como finalidade estudar a floristica da familia Bromeliaceae no Parque Estadual da Serra do Rola-Moca. Foram identificadas 25 especies pertencentes a 11 generos, sendo Dyckia o genero mais representativo em especies. Eduandrea selloana, Cryptanthus schwackeanus, Dyckia consimilis, D. densiflora, D. macedoi, D. simulans, D. schwackeana, D. trichostachya, Vriesea longistaminea e V. minarum encontram-se citadas na Listas das Especies da Flora e da Fauna Ameacadas de Extincao do Estado de Minas Gerais. Neste trabalho optamos por revalidar Dyckia oligantha.