Margareth Ferreira de Sales

Caatinga Ethnobotany: Anthropogenic Landscape Modification and Useful Species in Brazil’s Semi-Arid Northeast

Caatinga Ethnobotany: Anthropogenic Landscape Modification and Useful Species in Brazil’s Semi-Arid Northeast This study explores the contribution of anthropogenic landscapes in providing useful botanical resources to a Caatinga community in Pernambuco, Brazil. Ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews using the checklist-interview method and by means of a “field herbarium” of the most abundant species in the anthropogenic zones. We recorded 119 species distributed in 36 families, of which 79 were found to be useful. Forage was the most prominent use category, containing 84% of the citations, followed by medicinals (36.70%), foods (10.12%), and wood (8.86%). Herbaceous species predominated (63.29%), followed by shrubs (3.79%), sub-shrubs (21.51%), trees (8.86%), and creepers (2.53%). Trees exhibited a greater number of uses than other life-forms (p < 0.05). Significant differences in richness were found, with the highest richness of species (χ2 = 60.28, p < 0.05), genera (χ2 = 49.03, p < 0.05), and families (χ2 = 20.16, p < 0.05) appearing in the rainy season. We concluded that fodder use was the most important category in our anthropogenic research areas, accounting for a higher number of species, genera, and families. The next most important categories were medicinal, timber, and food plants, respectively.

Flora de um brejo de altitude na escarpa oriental do planalto da Borborema, PE, Brasil

Studies in the northeastern upland forests (brejo de altitude) indicate that the humid ones show higher richness of species and have more floristic simalarity with the lowland humid forests. Considering the lack of data about humid sub-montane forests, a survey was carried out in the upland forest of Bonito, Pernambuco, aiming to identify their floristic composition. Voucher, habit, and pattern of distribution of each species are presented. The results were compared with 22 surveys in the northeastern Atlantic Rainforest (latu sensu). Two hundred and seventeen species, distributed in 65 families, were sampled at the study area. Among those, 50% were cited in other upland forests and lowland forests in Pernambuco and Bahia States. The majority of species are scattered along South America, occurring from the north portion, penetrating through the Atlantic coast, as well as in the Brazilian central plateau, and sometimes reaching the semi-arid regions within the upland forests. Another important group of species are distributed starting at Central America to the middle region of South America, with a few occurring also in the south of North America (United States and Mexico).

An overview of recent taxonomic studies on Euphorbiaceae s.l. in Brazil

As Euphorbiaceae sensu lato distribuem-se especialmente nos tropicos, nos mais variados tipos de vegetacao e habitats, sendo uma das maiores, mais complexas e diversificadas familias das Angiospermas. Foi recentemente dividida em quatro familias e segundo os atuais sistemas de classificacao, baseados em estudos filogeneticos envolvendo dados moleculares, esta assim classificada: Euphorbiaceae sensu stricto, Phyllanthaceae, Putranjivaceae e Picrodendraceae, havendo uma proposicao de estabelecer Peraceae, taxon ainda em discussao. Houve tambem mudancas no posicionamento taxonomico de generos de ampla distribuicao no territorio brasileiro, tais como Amanoa, Drypetes, Pera, Phyllanthus, Podocalyx, Pogonophora e Richeria, entre outros. Alem disso, novas especies vem sendo propostas e a amplitude dos limites de distribuicao de diversos taxons vem aumentando no Brasil. Diante do exposto, os autores fornecem um panorama geral dos estudos mais recentes e avancos na taxonomia de Euphorbiaceae s.l. nas regioes Norte, Nordeste, Sudeste e Sul do pais, concentrando-se nos trabalhos de revisao e floras regionais, bem como nas mudancas que resultaram em nova configuracao taxonomica da familia.

O gênero Cnidoscolus Pohl (Crotonoideae-Euphorbiaceae) no Estado de Pernambuco, Brasil

O genero Cnidoscolus esta representado no Estado de Pernambuco por oito especies: C. bahianus (Ule) Pax & K. Hoffm., C. loefgrenii (Pax & K. Hoffm.) Pax & K. Hoffm., C. obtusifolius Pohl, C. oligandrus (Mull. Arg.) Pax, C. quercifolius Pohl, C. urens (L.) Arthur, C. urnigerus (Pax) Pax e C. vitifolius (Mill.) Pohl reconhecidas, principalmente, pela forma da folha, tipos de tricomas urticantes nos ramos, presenca e morfologia das glândulas peciolares, uniao e forma do perianto e numero e disposicao dos estames. Cnidoscolus urens ocorreu em todas as zonas fitogeograficas; C. loefgrenii foi registrada na zona da Mata e das Caatingas; C. quercifolius,C. obtusifolius,C. vitifolius,C. bahianus e C. urnigerus foram registradas apenas na zona das Caatingas; C. oligandrus e exclusiva da zona da Mata.

O gênero Phyllanthus L. (Phyllantheae - Euphorbiaceae Juss.) no bioma Caatinga do estado de Pernambuco - Brasil

The taxonomic study of species in the genus Phyllanthus L. in the caatinga biome of the State of Pernambuco was carried out based on morphological analysis of fresh material or from specimen vouchers of the local herbaria. Eleven taxa were recorded: Phyllanthus acuminatus Vahl, P. amarus Schumach. & Thonn., P. caroliniensis Walt, subsp. caroliniensis, P. claussenii Mull. Arg., P. heteradenius Mull. Arg., P. jacobinensis Mull. Arg., P. klotzschianus Miill. Arg., P. minutulus Miill. Arg., Ρ niruri L., P. orbicularis Rich., P. stipulatus (Raf.) Webster, and P. tenellus Roxb. The main morphological features used for delimitation of the species were habit, branching pattern, shape of the glandular disk on both male and female flowers, number and union of the stamens, type of dehiscence of anthers and seed coat. Most species present geographical distribution in steppe-savannah vegetation on different vegetational physiognomies (Agreste and Sertâo). Only P. acuminatus Vahl., P. minutulus Miill. Arg. and P. stipulatus (Raf.) Webster occur exclusively in the upland forests within the Agreste Zone.

Heliotropium L. (Boraginaceae - Heliotropioideae) de Pernambuco, Nordeste do Brasil,

A taxonomic study of the genus Heliotropium L. in the State of Pernambuco was carried out. The survey was based on field studies during 16 months and material provided by loan and donation from different brazilian herbaria. Seven species were recorded: H. angiospermum Murray, H. curassavicum L., H. elongatum (Lehm.) I.M. Johnst., H. indicum L., H. polyphyllum Lehm., H. procumbens Mill. and H. ternatum Vahl. H. curassavicum and H. ternatum represent new geographical occurrences from Northeastern and State of Pernambuco, Brazil, respectively. The species most widely distributed were H. angiospermum, H. elongatum and H. procumbens , occurring both since litoral to caatinga ́s zone. Key-words: Heliotropium, Boraginaceae, taxonomy, Northeastern, Brazil

O gênero Staelia Cham. & Schltdl. (Rubiaceae - Spermacoceae) no Estado de Pernambuco, Brasil

This work presents a taxonomic study of the species of Staelia present in the State of Pernambuco. Four specieswere found: S. aurea K. Schum., S. galioides DC., S. vestita K. Schum. and S. virgata (Roem. & Schult.) K. Schum. A key to identify the species, descriptions, comments, illustrations and a geographic distribution map are provided.

Composição da flora vascular em um remanescente de floresta montana no semi-árido do nordeste do Brasil

The montane forests (altitude > 600 m) at the semi-arid of Northeastern Brazil are surrounded by non forest thorn deciduous vegetation (caatinga), showings distinct flora and plant physionomy. They occur in upper mountains due to special climatic condition, originated by altitude. As the literature shows that the flora of these forests also varies according to the degree of humidity, a floristic survey was carried out in a humid montane forest located at Parque Ecologico Joao Vasconcelos-Sobrinho, city of Caruaru, Pernambuco, in order to compare the results with other montane forests in the region. We registered 332 species/subspecies of 85 families. Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Rubiaceae, Solanaceae and Myrtaceae were the richest families. Comparative analysis with other montane forest show that the proportion of tree species decrease and bushes increase as increasing the distance of the Atlantic coast.

The tribe Hippomaneae A. Juss. ex Spach. (Euphorbiaceae Juss.) in Pernambuco State, Brazil

The study was based on morphological analysis of specimens from various national herbaria as well as collected material. The tribe is represented in the study area by eight genera: Actinostemon Sw. (3 spp.), Mabea Aubl. (1sp.), Maprounea Aubl. (1sp.), Microstachys A. Juss.(2), Sapium P. Browne (2 spp.), Sebastiania Spreng. (1 spp.), Senefeldera Mart. (1sp.) and Stillingia Garden ex L. (1sp.). Widely distributed genera are Sapium and Sebastiania occurring in all phytogeographical zones. Actinostemon, Senefeldera and Mabea are restricted to the Atlantic rainforest. Identification keys to genera and species, descriptions, illustrations and taxonomic comments are presented.

Erythroxylum ayrtonianum (Erythroxylaceae): A New Species from Brazil

Abstract.  A new species assigned to Erythroxylum sect. Rhabdophyllum O. E. Schulz is described and illustrated under the name of E. ayrtonianum Loiola & M. F. Sales. This new species resembles E. pelleterianum A. St.-Hil. in the general aspect of its leaves and the flexuous, slender branches, but differs by its distichous cataphylls distributed along the short branches and the leaves with wavy to strongly wavy margins. Erythroxylum ayrtonianum is reported from savanna formations (cerrado vegetation) in the north-central portion of Brazil, with the type locality from the state of Tocantins.