Ligia Silveira Funch

Ethnomedicinal survey of a maroon community in Brazil's Atlantic tropical forest.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Considerable medicinal plant research in Brazil has focused on indigenous and mixed-race (caboclo and caiçara) communities, but relatively few studies have examined the medicinal plants and associated healing traditions of the descendants of enslaved Africans. This study surveyed the medicinal plants employed by a relatively isolated maroon community of Afro-Brazilians in the Atlantic coastal rainforests of Bahia, Brazil, a global biodiversity hotspot. The studied community is exceptional in that the residents were defacto slaves until several years ago, with no access to western medicine. We examined the following questions: 1) What medicinal plants are used in this community? 2) What are the principal taxonomic groups, life forms, source habitats, and geographical origins? 3) What species stand out as measured by use value and frequency indices? and 4) Is the communitys geographical isolation and African ancestry reflected in their medicinal uses of the local flora? MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was carried out in the Quilombo Salamina Putumuju maroon community in Bahia, Brazil. Data were collected from May to October 2014 from 74 individuals (37 men and 37 women) by means of semi-structured interviews, walk in the woods, and vouchering of identified species. We used the Cultural Value Index (CV), the Relative Frequency Index (RF), and the Use Value Index (UV) to determine the importance of medicinal plant resources. Continuity of African medicinal plant uses and traditions was determined through self-reporting and comparison with previously published works. RESULTS We recorded 118 medicinal plant species distributed in 100 genera and 51 families. The best represented families were: Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae and Myrtaceae. Most plant medicines were used to treat respiratory, digestive systems, genitourinary, and skin problems. The most common medicinal life form was herbs (44%), followed by trees (28%) and shrubs (18%). Native species (55%) were used somewhat more than exotic species (45%), and non-cultivated species (51%) were slightly more numerous than cultivated species (49%). In spite of abundant nearby old-growth forests, trails and gardens were the most common collection sites. A mean of 13.2 medicinal plant species were cited per participant. The highest CV was recorded for Cymbopogon citratus (0.20) followed by Lippia alba (0.19) and Stryphnodendron cf. adstringens (0.17). The highest RF included C. citratus (0.69), L. alba (0.59), and Eugenia uniflora (0.55). The highest UV figures were recorded for S. cf. adstringens (1.68), followed by Sida cf. cordifolia (0.97) and C. citratus (0.93).Fifteen species (13%) of this maroon medicinal flora trace their ancestry to Africa or African-derived healing traditions. CONCLUSION The Salamina maroon community maintains considerable knowledge of the medicinal value of the local flora. However, little of this knowledge is derived from the surrounding old-growth tropical forests. Their pharmacopoeia is a hybrid mix of wild and cultivated species, natives and exotics. Among those species representing the communitys isolation and African ancestry, most are associated with spiritual and magical medicine.

Comportamento fenológico de três espécies de Jatropha (Euphorbiaceae) da Caatinga, semi-árido do Brasil

The vegetative and reproductive phenological behavior of Jatropha mollissima (Pohl) Baill., Jatropha mutabilis (Pohl) Baill. and Jatropha ribifolia (Pohl) Baill. were characterized and compared in an area of hyperxerophilous shrub-arboreal caatinga in northeastern Brazil from July 2005 to June 2007. The correlation between the phenophases and the abiotic variables (temperature, relative air humidity, precipitation and photoperiod), the capacity for water storage and the patterns of spatial distribution of these species were also investigated. All species showed high capacities for water storage, continuous and irregular phenological behaviors with flowers, fruits, leaf fall, and leaf budding absence during the coldest and wettest months. Only flowering in J. ribifolia demonstrated significant correlation with precipitation. All species presented aggregated distribution of their populations, which was favored by the ballistic autochory. These results indicated that the high capacity of these species for storing water facilitates the occurrence of phenological events even in the absence of rainfall.

Fenologia de Syngonanthus mucugensis Giul. subsp. mucugensis e S. curralensis Moldenke (Eriocaulaceae), nos municípios de Mucugê e Morro do Chapéu, Chapada Diamantina, BA, Brasil

Syngonanthus mucugensis subsp. mucugensis Giul. and S. curralensis are straw-flowers (sempre-vivas) in which the capitula maintain their appearance and color for many years. These herbaceous plants have a clumped distribution, their leaves form a rosette, and they have small whitish monoecious inflorescences united in a capitulum. The present study examined the phenology of this species, relating it to abiotic environmental factors and probable dispersal modes. The presence/absence of phenophases were observed on a monthly basis from August/2002 to September/2004 in an area of campo rupestre vegetation, in the municipalities of Mucuge and Morro do Chapeu. The vegetative phase is the longest phase of the phenological cycle (approximately five months) and occurs during the rainy season (November through March). Three to four months pass between the emergence of the scapes and the production of the young capitula. The staminate and pistillate flowers undergo anthesis in the early morning; the individual staminate flowers last one day, and the entire staminate cycle lasts seven days. Pistillate flowers last three days, while the pistillate cycle lasts from three to four days. There is no temporal overlap of the staminate and pistillate phases in the same capitulum. The two species demonstrate annual and regular flowering (June-August) and fruiting (July-November), during the dry season. Seed dispersal occurs approximately 45 days after fertilization and extends for four months, during the dry season and the beginning of the rainy season. The type of diaspore produced, the grouped distribution of the species, and the occurrence of seed maturation during the dry season all suggest anemochoric and autochoric dispersal mechanisms.

Mapping and evaluation of the state of conservation of the vegetation in and surrounding the Chapada Diamantina National Park, NE Brazil

The Chapada Diamantina National Park (CDNP) was created in the midst of a densely populated area, and significant sections of the reserve are still undergoing processes of natural regeneration after intensive diamond mining activities were initiated in the mid-1800s. An up-to-date vegetation map was needed in order to indicate the types and distribution of regional vegetation assemblages in an easily interpretable manner and at an appropriate planning scale that could be easily consulted by decision makers and other interested groups at all levels of conservation (and development) planning. A vegetation map of the Chapada Diamantina National Park, and the areas immediately surrounding it, was prepared that: 1) delimits, describes, and maps the regional vegetation assemblages; 2) provides an indication of the degree of conservation of the mapped vegetation; 3) develops this information in a format that facilitates continued updating and revision as more information becomes available, enabling the monitoring of the evolution of the Park lands, and; 4) presents this information in a manner that can be easily interpreted and used for planning, management and conservation purposes. The resulting vegetation map revealed intensive anthropogenic disturbances in forested, savanna, and semi-arid areas subjected to intensive agricultural use outside of the Park boundaries. The National Park lands are generally well preserved but burning has replaced formerly extensive forest areas with open sedge meadows. In spite of intensive modification of the regional vegetation, two well preserved areas with high priority for conservation efforts beyond the National Park limits were identified and characterized. The vegetation mapping of the park itself can aid in the preparation of its management plan and in the reformulation of the existing boundaries of that reserve.

Morphological analyses suggest a new taxonomic circumscription for Hymenaea courbaril L. (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae)

Abstract Hymenaea is a genus of the Resin-producing Clade of the tribe Detarieae (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae) with 14 species. Hymenaea courbaril is the most widespread species of the genus, ranging from southern Mexico to southeastern Brazil. As currently circumscribed, Hymenaea courbaril is a polytypic species with six varieties: var. altissima, var. courbaril, var. longifolia, var. stilbocarpa, var. subsessilis, and var. villosa. These varieties are distinguishable mostly by traits related to leaflet shape and indumentation, and calyx indumentation. We carried out morphometric analyses of 14 quantitative (continuous) leaf characters in order to assess the taxonomy of Hymenaea courbaril under the Unified Species Concept framework. Cluster analysis used the Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrices. Principal Component Analyses (PCA) were carried out based on the same morphometric matrix. Two sets of Analyses of Similarity and Non Parametric Multivariate Analysis of Variance were carried out to evaluate statistical support (1) for the major groups recovered using UPGMA and PCA, and (2) for the varieties. All analyses recovered three major groups coincident with (1) var. altissima, (2) var. longifolia, and (3) all other varieties. These results, together with geographical and habitat information, were taken as evidence of three separate metapopulation lineages recognized here as three distinct species. Nomenclatural adjustments, including reclassifying formerly misapplied types, are proposed.

Composição florística da floresta ciliar do rio Mandassaia, Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brasil

The floristics of a gallery forest along the Mandassaia River, Chapada Diamantina National Park, Bahia State, Brazil) A floristic survey of angiosperm species were performed in a gallery forest along the course of the Mandassaia River (an affluent of the Santo Antônio River) in the Municipality of Lençóis, Chapada Diamantina, Bahia State, Brazil (12o33’S x 41o25’W). We intended to describe the flora and examine the potential role of altitude and geographical distance on the flora composition, comparing results with previous surveys of gallery forests at different locations at the same major watershed. The floristic survey identified 116 species, belonging to 96 genera and 51 families. The families with the greatest species richness were Melastomataceae, Fabaceae, Orchidaceae, Asteraceae, Myrtaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Apocynaceae. Similarity analyses between the arboreal components of the gallery forest of the Mandassaia River and other gallery forests previously examined within the Santo Antonio basin indicated that geographical distance was the most important factor, as closer areas had close similarity values regardless of their altitude. Indicator species for the riparian forests of the Santo Antônio River basin in the Chapada Diamantina include Alchornea triplinervia, Clusia nemorosa, Simarouba amara, Tapirira guianensis, and Vochysia pyramidalis.

Dispersão de sementes de Melocactus glaucescens e M. paucispinus (Cactaceae), no Município de Morro do Chapéu, Chapada Diamantina - BA

ABSTRACT (Dispersion of Melocactus glaucescens and M. paucispinus (Cactaceae) in the municipality of Morro do Chapeu, Chapada Diamantina - BA). Objectives: identify the dispersers of two species of Melocactus ; verify their patterns of fruit off ering and correlate this with removal by frugivores and with temperature variations of the cephalium; and analyze the relationship between the spatial distribution of the Melocactus species and the behavior of their dispers-ers. Focal observations were made of fruit emergence, extrusion and removal, cephalium temperature, ant-diaspore interactions, and plant spatial distribution. Germination tests were also made. Two lizard and three ant species were dispersers of the two species of Melocactus. Seed dormancy was not broken in the digestive tracts of the lizards. Th e greatest rates of fruit removal by the lizards occurred during the mid hours of the day, coinciding with or following the extrusion peak. Fruit emergence and extrusion rates were highest in the morning, increasing their chances of being taken on the same day, thus avoiding desiccation and predation. No correlation was observed between fruit liberation and thermal variations of the cephalium. Fruit development generates tension within the fi ber mass of the cephalium that provokes fruit emergence/expulsion. Th e expulsion of the fruits may also be aided by the dilation of the cephalium fi bers as they warm, tension generated at the cephalium base where the fi bers unite, and by the expul-sion of other fruits. Th e spatial distribution of these cacti is infl uenced by disperser behavior.

Reproductive phenology of Melocactus (Cactaceae) species from Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil

Este trabalho discute as estrategias fenologicas de Melocactus glaucescens Buining & Brederoo, M. paucispinus G. Heimen & R. Paul, M. ernestii Vaupel e M. ×albicephalus Buining & Brederoo, especies da Chapada Diamantina, Nordeste do Brasil. M. glaucescens, M. ernestii e M. ×albicephalus ocorrem simpatricamente em uma area de caatinga/cerrado e M. paucispinus em uma area de cerrado/campo rupestre. A fenologia dos taxons simpatricos foi comparada e analisada quanto a sobreposicao, enquanto a fenologia de M. paucispinus foi correlacionada com fatores abioticos e bioticos. A floracao de M. glaucescens e M. ×albicephalus apresentou um padrao continuo, porem com picos moderados de atividade, enquanto a frutificacao foi subanual. A floracao e a frutificacao de M. ernestii exibiram padrao anual; em M. paucispinus, a floracao e a frutificacao tiveram padrao subanual. Os taxons simpatricos apresentaram juntos mais de 40% de sobreposicao de floracao, e mais de 50% em combinacoes aos pares, considerando tanto o numero de individuos em floracao quanto a quantidade de recurso ofertado. Informacoes disponiveis indicam que esses taxons compartilham polinizadores. Os dados fenologicos encontrados rejeitam a hipotese do polinizador compartilhado e sustentam a hipotese corrente de hibridacao na area estudada. Foi encontrada correlacao negativa entre a pluviometria e a floracao de M. paucispinus e positiva com a frutificacao. A floracao de M. paucispinus em periodos secos do ano evita que as flores eretas posicionadas em cefalios terminais, expostos em areas abertas da vegetacao, sejam danificadas pelas chuvas, enquanto a frutificacao em periodos chuvosos pode ser favoravel a dispersao e germinacao desta especie.

What are the most important factors determining different vegetation types in the Chapada Diamantina, Brazil?

A transect was used to examine the environmental and biological descriptors of a compact vegetation mosaic in the Chapada Diamantina in northeastern Brazil, including the floristic composition, spectrum of plant life forms, rainfall, and soil properties that defined areas of cerrado (Brazilian savanna), caatinga (seasonally dry tropical forest thorny, deciduous shrub/arboreal vegetation) and cerrado-caatinga transition vegetation. The floristic survey was made monthly from April/2009 to March/2012. A dendrogram of similarity was generated using the Jaccard Index based on a matrix of the species that occurred in at least two of the vegetation types examined. The proportions of life forms in each vegetation type were compared using the chi-square test. Composite soil samples were analyzed by simple variance (ANOVA) to examine relationships between soil parameters of each vegetation type and the transition area. The monthly precipitation levels in each vegetation type were measured and compared using the chi-square test. A total of 323 species of angiosperms were collected distributed in 193 genera and 54 families. The dendrogram demonstrated strong difference between the floristic compositions of the cerrado and caatinga, sharing 2% similarity. The chi-square test did not demonstrate any significant statistical differences between the monthly values of recorded rainfall. The organic matter and clay contents of the soilsin the caatinga increased while sand decreased, and the proportions of therophyte, hemicryptophyte, and chamaephyte life forms decreased and phanerophytes increased. We can therefore conclude that the floristic composition and the spectrum of life forms combined to define the cerrado and caatinga vegetation along the transect examined, with soil being the principal conditioning factor determining the different vegetation types, independent of precipitation levels.

Estratégias fenológicas de Senna cana (Nees & Mart.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby (Fabaceae: Caesalpinioideae) como mecanismo eficiente para atração de polinizadores

The present work evaluated the importance of the phenological strategies of Senna cana in attracting floral visitors and pollinators in an riparian forest along the Lencois River, in Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil. Vegetative and reproductive phenological observations (leaf fall, leaf flushing, flowering, and fruiting) were made on a monthly basis among a group of 10 individuals. The floral biology patterns observed included: anthesis, duration of the flowers, stigma receptivity, pollen viability, and the presence of osmophores and pigments that reflect UV light. Reproductive mechanisms were examined by testing manual and natural self-pollination as well as cross-pollination. Visitors and pollinators were identified, and the time, duration, and frequency of their visitation, as well as their behavior, were noted. Senna cana is an episodic evergreen species showing seasonal and highly synchronous reproductive events (intermediate flowering after a rainy period, and long fruiting during the dry period). These flowering characteristics, in addition to the syndrome of melittophily, are important strategies for attracting floral visitors (including Xylocopa frontalis and X. grisescens, which are potential pollinators). The self-incompatibility and maximization of fruit production through cross-pollination represent reproductive mechanisms favored by the phenological strategies and the pollination syndrome demonstrated by this species.