Eduardo G. Goncalves

A Kunitz proteinase inhibitor from corms of Xanthosoma blandum with bactericidal activity.

Bacterial infections directly affect the worlds population, and this situation has been aggravated by indiscriminate use of antimicrobial agents, which can generate resistant microorganisms. In this report, an initial screening of proteins with antibacterial activity from corms of 15 species of the Xanthosoma genus was conducted. Since Xanthosoma blandum corms showed enhanced activity toward bacteria, a novel protein with bactericidal activity was isolated from this particular species. Edman degradation was used for protein N-termini determination; the primary structure showed similarities with Kunitz inhibitors, and this protein was named Xb-KTI. This protein was further challenged against serine proteinases from different sources, showing clear inhibitory activities. Otherwise, no hemolytic activity was observed for Xb-KTI. The results demonstrate the biotechnological potential of Xb-KTI, the first proteinase inhibitor with antimicrobial activity described in the Xanthosoma genus.

A new Monstera (Araceae: Monsteroideae) from Brazil

A new species ofMonstera (Araceae),M. praetermissa, is described, illustrated, and compared to its most similar relatives,M. xanthospatha andM. obliqua. The new species is so far only known from Brazil, but has a broad distribution there, ranging from the south to the northeast of the country.

Two new species of Anthurium (Araceae) from Serra do Teimoso, Bahia, Brazil

SummaryTwo new species of Anthurium from Bahia, eastern Brazil, are described and illustrated. Both species belong to sect. Urospadix Engl. and are so far only known from the type locality, Serra do Teimoso, although they are common locally. Anthurium teimosoanum E. G. Gonç. & J. G. Jardim is known from the lowermost altitudinal zone of this upland area, whereas A. molle E. G. Gonç. & J. G. Jardim was only collected near the summit.

Two New Species of Philodendron (Araceae) from Central Brazil

Central Brazil is a large area of middle-altitude uplands, with an intermediate rainfall (900 1400 mm/yr) and a marked dry season between May and September. Most of the area is covered with cerrado vegetation, a savanna-like formation that does not seem to be suitable for aroids in general. In fact, only very few aroids (if any) could survive on the oligotrophic soil of cerrado (or as epiphytic herbs) which may explain why most aroid specialists have not conducted intensive studies there. However, there are some interesting vegetation formations that hold a considerable number of aroid species within the cerrado province, such as seasonal marshes, gallery forests, montane vegetation (campos rupestres) and limestone outcrops. These vegetation formations have been poorly studied, and undoubtedly contain a significant number of new taxa, besides the two species here described for the first time. The present paper describes two new species of Philodendron, the second largest genus of the family Araceae with approximately 500 species recognised at present (Mayo et al. 1997). Both taxa occur near the Brazilian capital, Brasilia. This is regarded as one of the botanically best known areas of Central Brazil, and so their discovery suggests that even here a great deal of botanical collecting is still clearly needed.

Descrição do padrão de venação foliar em Spathicarpa Hook. (Araceae)

Characterization of leaf venation can help in the recognition of taxonomic groups that are identified primarily on the basis of reproductive characteristics such as genus Spathicarpa Hook. (Araceae). This study aims to provide an efficient technique for clearing leaves that are similar to those of Spathicarpa Hook., to describe the leaf venation pattern of Spathicarpa gardneri Schott, Spathicarpa hastifolia Hook., Spathicarpa lanceolata Engl. and Spathicarpa sagittifolia Schott, and to test the use of leaf architecture as a tool for taxonomic recognition of Spathicarpa Hook. species. In general, the leaf clearing technique initially involved placing leaves in 70% ethyl alcohol with commercial detergent, sodium hydroxide (5%) and sodium hypochloride for clearing and whitening, respectively. The leaves were then run through an ethanol dehydration series (10 to 100%) and through a xylene series (xylene-ethanol 100% 1:1 and xylene). Lastly, leaves were died with safranin and again placed in xylene-ethanol 100% 1:1 to differentiate. Of the four species, only Spathicarpa lanceolata Engl. presented diagnostic vegetative characteristics. It was not possible to distinguish amongst the other species based only on leaf architecture.

A revision of the small genus Zomicarpa Schott

SummaryThe endemic Brazilian genus Zomicarpa Schott traditionally comprised three species occurring in north-eastern Brazil. These species were critically revised, based on recent collections. Only two species are here accepted, described and illustrated: Zomicarpa pythonium (Mart.) Schott and Z. steigeriana Schott. The widely used name Z. riedeliana Schott is reduced to a synonym of the oldest name Z. pythonium. Other aspects including evolutionary relationships, ecology and geographical distribution are also discussed.

Anthurium macropodum: a remarkable new species of Araceae from Brazil

SummaryA remarkable new species of Anthurium, A. macropodum E. G. Gonç., is here described, illustrated and compared to its closest relatives. This new species is known from a single locality in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo (near the village of Vargem Alta), already reputed as the type locality of other recently described species.

Philodendron venustifoliatum (Araceae): A New Species from Brazil

The aroids of Central Brazil are still poorly known, despite their relatively low species diversity. The region is mainly covered by cerrado, one of the most threatened vegetation types in Brazil. The restricted ranges of many of the aroid species mean that its widespread destruction is likely to have irreversible effects on the familys diversity. The neotropical genus Philodendron is the second largest in the family and ranges from Mexico and the Caribbean Islands to northern Uruguay; over 500 species have been recognized (Mayo et al. 1997). Many undescribed species are being discovered in poorly studied areas of tropical America (Grayum 1996, Sakuragui & Mayo 1997, Gon-alves 1997, Croat 1997, Nadruz Coelho & Mayo 1998) and some of these are potentially useful as ornamental plants. During a survey of aroids from central Brazil, one of the authors (EGG) collected a very ornamental Philodendron with pinnatilobed leaves, which has since been recollected twice. As it does not resemble any known species, it is described here as new. The terminology for leaf blade characters follows that of Mayo (1991).

Evaluation of nutritional and anti‐nutritional compounds from tania (Xanthosoma Schott) corms

Purpose – Tuber crops are extremely important for humans, being extensively used in many cultures and mainly in poor and developing countries. Tanias (Xanthosoma Schott) belong to the Aracea family and have been commonly used as a staple food since pre‐Columbian times. Nowadays, tanias are integrated in the staple diet of several countries in the Americas, West Africa, Asia and the Pacific. In order to shed light on their potential and possible risks for human nutrition, nutritional and anti‐nutritional evaluations of different compounds synthesized by tania corms were carried out by using seven tropical species.Design/methodology/approach – Classical analyses for non‐structural carbohydrates and nitrogenated compounds as well inhibitory assays towards α‐amylases and proteases were employed.Findings – Tests for quantitation of reducing sugars, soluble polysaccharides, free amino acid content and total protein amounts presented variable scores among studied species. Nevertheless, the amounts of non‐starchy...