José Rubens Pirani

Growing knowledge: an overview of Seed Plant diversity in Brazil

An updated inventory of Brazilian seed plants is presented and offers important insights into the countrys biodiversity. This work started in 2010, with the publication of the Plants and Fungi Catalogue, and has been updated since by more than 430 specialists working online. Brazil is home to 32,086 native Angiosperms and 23 native Gymnosperms, showing an increase of 3% in its species richness in relation to 2010. The Amazon Rainforest is the richest Brazilian biome for Gymnosperms, while the Atlantic Rainforest is the richest one for Angiosperms. There was a considerable increment in the number of species and endemism rates for biomes, except for the Amazon that showed a decrease of 2.5% of recorded endemics. However, well over half of Brazillian seed plant species (57.4%) is endemic to this territory. The proportion of life-forms varies among different biomes: trees are more expressive in the Amazon and Atlantic Rainforest biomes while herbs predominate in the Pampa, and lianas are more expressive in the Amazon, Atlantic Rainforest, and Pantanal. This compilation serves not only to quantify Brazilian biodiversity, but also to highlight areas where there information is lacking and to provide a framework for the challenge faced in conserving Brazils unique and diverse flora.

Review of plant biogeographic studies in Brazil

Abstract  Molecular phylogenetic studies have become a major area of interest in plant systematics, and their impacts on historical biogeographic hypotheses are not to be disregarded. In Brazil, most historical biogeographic studies have relied on animal phylogenies, whereas plant biogeographic studies have largely lacked a phylogenetic component, having a limited utility for historical biogeography. That country, however, is of great importance for most biogeographic studies of lowland tropical South America, and it includes areas from a number of biogeographic regions of the continent. Important biogeographic reports have been published as part of phylogenetic studies, taxonomic monographs, and regional accounts for small areas or phytogeographic domains, but the available information is subsequently scattered and sometimes hard to find. In this paper we review some relevant angiosperm biogeographic studies in Brazil. Initially we briefly discuss the importance of other continents as source areas for the South American flora. Then we present a subdivision of Brazil into phytogeographic domains, and we cite studies that have explored the detection of biogeographic units (areas of endemism) and how they are historically related among those domains. Examples of plant taxa that could be used to test some biogeographic hypotheses are provided throughout, as well as taxa that exemplify several patterns of endemism and disjunction in the Brazilian angiosperm flora.

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.

Phylogeny of Rutaceae based on twononcoding regions from cpDNA

Primarily known only by the edible fruits of Citrus, Rutaceae comprise a large (c. 160 genera and 1900 species), morphologically diverse, cosmopolitan family. Of its extraordinary array of secondary chemical compounds, many have medicinal, antimicrobial, insecticidal, or herbicidal properties. To assist with the much-needed suprageneric reclassification and with studies of evolution of chemical compounds and biogeographic history of the family, here we included sequence data (from two noncoding regions of the chloroplast genome-rps16 intron and trnL-trnF region) from 65 species in 59 genera (more than one third of those in the family) that represented all subfamilies and tribes and more genera of Toddalioideae and of neotropical groups than previous studies. Results confirmed that Cneorum, Ptaeroxylon, Spathelia, and Dictyoloma form a clade sister to the remaining Rutaceae, none of the subfamilies with more than one genus (except Aurantioideae) is monophyletic, and characters of the ovary and fruit are not reliable for circumscription of subfamilies. Furthermore, clades are better correlated with geographic distributions of the genera than with ovary and fruit characters. Circumscriptions of subfamilies and tribes (and some subtribes of Rutoideae) must be reevaluated. Results are discussed in light of geographic distributions, caryology, chemotaxonomy, and other molecular studies.

The forest-cerrado transition zone in southern Amazonia: Results of the 1985 Projeto Flora Amazônica expedition to Mato Grosso

An account of the history of collecting in the Mato Grosso is followed by a discussion of the current views on the nature of the vegetation along the transition from Amazonian forest to cerrado. The purpose of the 1985 Projeto Flora Amazônica expedition was to sample the vegetation in the transition region in northern Mato Grosso. In order to characterize the vegetation at the various localities, the identified collections were assigned to one of five broad distributional categories: Planaltine, Transitional, Amazonian, Wide-spread, or Other. In most cases, as expected, the collecting sites in the north and the west were characterized by Amazonian forest species while those in the south and east comprised mainly cerrado elements. Our collections show that the transition zone is a complex mosaic of Amazonian forest and cerrado formations.

Plant species and habitat structure in a sand dune field in the brazilian Caatinga: a homogeneous habitat harbouring an endemic biota

One dune habitat in the semi-arid Caatinga Biome, rich in endemisms, is described based on plant species composition, woody plant density, mean height and phenology and a multivariate analysis of the micro-habitats generated by variables associated to plants and topography. The local flora is composed mainly by typically sand-dweller species of Caatinga, suggesting the existence of a phytogeographic unity related to the sandy areas in the Caatinga biome, which seems to be corroborated by faunal distribution. Moreover, some species are probably endemic from the dunes, a pattern also found in vertebrates. The plant distribution is patchy, there is no conspicuous herbaceous layer and almost 50% of the ground represents exposed sand. Phenology is not synchronized among species, occurring leaves budding and shedding, flowers development and anthesis, fruits production and dispersion both in rainy and dry seasons. Leaf shedding is low compared to the level usually observed in Caatinga areas and about 50% of the woody individuals were producing leaves in both seasons. Spectrum of dispersal syndromes shows an unexpected higher proportion of zoochorous species among the phanerophytes, accounting for 31.3% of the species, 78.7% of the total frequency and 78.6% of the total density. The habitat of the dunes is very simple and homogeneous in structure and most of environmental variance in the area is explained by one gradient of woody plants density and another of increase of Bromelia antiacantha Bertol. (Bromeliaceae) and Tacinga inamoena (K. Schum.) N.P. Taylor & Stuppy (Cactaceae) toward valleys, which seem to determine two kinds of protected micro-habitats for the small cursorial fauna.

Checklist das Spermatophyta do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

The Phanerogamic Flora of Sao Paulo State project has been dedicated to create an inventory of the flora for 20 years. More than 200 collaborators are involved, mostly from the State of Sao Paulo, with the contributions of researchers from other states and from abroad. Since 2001, seven books with monographs of 151 families were published, dealing with 3,237 species within 722 genera. This project was the starting-point of the gathering of information about the diversity of spermatophytes of the State of Sao Paulo. The current checklist, at this point, presents an updated and virtually complete list of species, all certified by specialists. It also contains references to scientific collections for most of the taxa (vouchers) or to bibliography referring to the natural or subspontaneous occurrence of the species in the State. The list now contains 7,305 species distributed in 1,776 genera and in 197 spermatophyte families (according to Cronquist 1981) or 195 (according to APG III). 23% of the 31,728 species of spermatophytes listed in the Flora of Brazil occur in Sao Paulo State. The most representative families are Orchidaceae (797 species), Asteraceae (676 species), Fabaceae (513 species), Poaceae (500 species), Myrtaceae (304), Rubiaceae (265 species) and Melastomataceae (253 species), which, altogether, accumulate 3,308 species and constitute 45% of total species of spermatophytes in the state. The wealth of the Brazilian plant diversity, partially expressed in Sao Paulo, shows how important is the continuity of floristic studies in a country that is very likely to hold the largest plant diversity in the planet.

Alkaloids from stems of Esenbeckia leiocarpa Engl. (Rutaceae) as potential treatment for Alzheimer disease.

Esenbeckia leiocarpa Engl. (Rutaceae), popularly known as guarantã, goiabeira, is a native tree from Brazil. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the ethanol stems extract afforded the isolation of six alkaloids: leiokinine A, leptomerine, kokusaginine, skimmianine, maculine and flindersiamine. All isolated compounds were tested for acetyl cholinesterase inhibition, in vitro and displayed anticholinesterasic activity. The alkaloid leptomerine showed the highest activity (IC50 = 2.5 μM), similar to that of the reference compound galanthamine (IC50 = 1.7 μM). The results showed for the first time the presence of alkaloids leptomerine and skimmianine in E. leiocarpa (Engl.) with potent anticholinesterasic activity.

Synopses of Angostura Roem. & Schult. and Conchocarpus J. C. Mikan (Rutaceae)

Angostura Roem. & Schult. as understood by Engler is defined more narrowly here. The species excluded from Angostura are recognized as species of ConchocarpusJ. C. Mikan. Three new species of Angostura (A. alipes Kallunki from Ecuador, A. quinquefolia Kallunki from Pari and Maranhao, Brazil, and A. simplex Kallunki from western Amazonas, Brazil, and San Martin, Peru) are described, and three new combinations in this genus are made. In Conchocarpus, 24 new combinations are made, and the following 21 new taxa are described: C. bellus Kallunki, C. cauliflorus Pirani, C. concinnus Kallunki, C. cuneifolius var. confertus Kallunki, C. cyrtanthus Kallunki, C. dasyanthus Kallunki, C. diadematus Pirani, C. fissicalyx Pirani, C. furcatus Kallunki, C. gaudichaudianus subsp. bahiensis Kallunki, C. grandis Kallunki, C. hirsutus Pirani, C. inopinatus Pirani, C. insignis Pirani, C. longipes Kallunki, C. mastigophorus Kallunki, C. modestus Kallunki, C. oppositifolius Kallunki, C. punctatus Kallunki, C. santosii Pirani & Kallunki, and C. sordidus Kallunki. With the exception of C. grandis from Amazonian Brazil, all are native to the coastal forests of eastern Brazil. As a result, seven species of Angostura and 45 of Conchocarpus are recognized. Keys to the taxa of both genera are provided. Lectotypes are designated for Cusparia grandiflora Engl., C. macrocarpa Engl., C. paniculata Engl., C. toxicaria Engl., Galipea odoratissima Lindl., and Lasiostemum silvestre Nees & Mart. and an epitype for Galipea elegans A. St.-Hil. The new combination, Rauia nodosa (Engl.) Kallunki, is made for Cusparia nodosa. The tribe Cusparieae DC. and subtribe Cuspariinae Engl., based on the illegitimate generic name Cusparia Humb., are renamed Galipeeae Kallunki and Galipeinae Kallunki.

Meliacin butenolides from Trichilia estipulata

Abstract The stem bark of Trichilia estipulata afforded three novel meliacin butenolides, 7 α -23-dihydroxy-3-oxo-24,25,26,27-tetranorapotirucall-1,14,20(22)-trien-21,23-olide, 7-deacetyl-23-hydroxyneotrichilenonelide and 7-deacetyl-21-hydroxyneotrichilenonelide, which were identified on the basis of spectroscopic analyses. Scopoletin, isofraxidin, 7-oxo-24 β -, 7-oxo-24 α -sitosterols and 3 β - O - β - d -glucopyranosylsitosterol were also isolated. The known compounds, velozonol, carnaubadiol, velozona, carnauba-21-ol-3-one, isofouqueriol, isofouquerinone, sitostenone and sitosterol were isolated from the leaves.