Unveiling neotropical serpentine flora: a list of Brazilian tree species in an iron saturated environment in Bom Sucesso, Minas Gerais

Serpentine soils are those holding at least of 70% iron-magnesium compounds, which make life intolerable for many species. Although plant's adaptation to environmental toughness is widely studied in tropics, virtually nothing is known about Brazilian serpentine flora. Our aim was to bring up and characterize the serpentine flora in Bom Sucesso, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. We performed expeditions utilizing rapid survey sampling method to identify the arboreal compound in the area. Plants within circumference at breast high (CBH) up to 15,7 cm were included in our study. A specialist identified all the individuals to species level. We found 246 species located in 59 botanical families. Fabaceae, Myrtaceae and Melastomataceae were the most representative families in the area. Serpentine areas usually present a few species capable to survive to adverse conditions, contrasting the high number found in our study. To our knowledge, this is the first floristic survey in serpentine areas in the neotropics, reinforcing the need for more studies about plant diversity in those areas. It seems that serpentinites is not the key factor influencing plant diversity in the neotropics. The high diversity found in our study strengthens serpentine areas as a place for conservation concern.

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Fritzschia furnensis (Marcetia alliance, Melastomataceae): an endangered new species from the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.302.1.4 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 302 (1) ◽

pp. 49

Author(s):

ROSANA ROMERO ◽

MARIA JOSÉ REIS DA ROCHA

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Glandular Trichomes ◽

Minas Gerais ◽

The State ◽

Small Populations ◽

Floristic Survey ◽

Restricted Distribution ◽

Minas Gerais State ◽

A New Species

During a floristic survey of Melastomataceae carried out in Delfinópolis and Capitólio, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, a new species of Fritzschia was found. Fritzschia furnensis has stems peeling in thin, woody flakes, petiole 2–10 mm long, large leaf blades (23–38 × 10–29 mm) and an indumentum of glandular trichomes on the branches, petioles, leaves, bracteoles, pedicels, hypanthia, and sepals. The new species is regarded as endangered (EN) due to a restricted distribution, small populations and the destruction of its habitat.

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Bryophytes of the Parque Estadual da Serra do Brigadeiro, an Atlantic Forest Remnant in Southeastern Brazil

Hoehnea ◽

10.1590/2236-8906-61/2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 47 ◽

Author(s):

Libia Mayerly Cifuentes-García ◽

Pedro Bond Schwartsburd ◽

Denilson Fernandes Peralta

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Atlantic Forest ◽

Endemic Species ◽

Minas Gerais ◽

Tree Bark ◽

Southeastern Brazil ◽

Floristic Survey ◽

Forest Remnant ◽

Minas Gerais State ◽

First Time

ABSTRACT The objective was to present the floristic survey of the bryophytes of the Parque Estadual da Serra do Brigadeiro. It included an evaluation of the species richness, as well as information about the substrate preference of each species and its geographic distributions in Brazil. We found 208 taxa of bryophytes: one hornwort, 88 liverworts and 119 mosses. This richness represents ca. 26% of the bryoflora of Minas Gerais State and ca. 13% of that known for Brazil. Eighteen of the bryophytes species are endemic to Brazil, whereas 19 species are recorded for the first time in Minas Gerais. The bryoflora showed preference for tree bark (30%) and rock (23%) as substrates. Our data show that the Parque Estadual da Serra do Brigadeiro is an important area for the diversity conservation of Brazilian bryophytes and maintenance of endemic species of the country.

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Taxonomy and geographic variation of Formicivora serrana (Hellmayr, 1929) and Formicivora littoralis Gonzaga and Pacheco, 1990 (Aves: Passeriformes: Thamnophilidae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.2742.1.1 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2742 (1) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

DANIEL H. FIRME ◽

MARCOS A. RAPOSO

Keyword(s):

Rio De Janeiro ◽

Minas Gerais ◽

Biological Species ◽

Phylogenetic Species ◽

Species Status ◽

Species Of Conservation Concern ◽

Minas Gerais State ◽

Conservation Concern ◽

Threatened Habitat ◽

Janeiro State

Formicivora serrana was described by Hellmayr in 1929 from specimens collected in Minas Gerais state, and subspecies F. s. interposita and F. s. littoralis by Gonzaga and Pacheco (1990) from specimens from Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro states and Rio de Janeiro state, respectively. According to the latter authors, interposita is intermediate both geographically and morphologically in relation to F. s. serrana and F. s. littoralis. Two years after its description, F. s. littoralis was elevated to species status (Collar et al. 1992) and it has subsequently been considered a species of conservation concern because of its restricted geographical range and threatened habitat. Formicivora s. interposita, however, was not elevated and is generally considered a subspecies of serrana. In this study we review the taxonomy of F. serrana, testing the validity of F. littoralis and proposing the best taxonomic treatment for F. s. interposita. The results of morphometric, vocal and plumage analyses show that F. s. interposita and F. littoralis lack diagnostic characters, and are therefore not valid phylogenetic species. Further, our results indicate that F. littoralis is not a valid biological species, but that it and interposita could be considered subspecies of F. serrana under this species concept. These results stress the need for detailed systematic studies in support of taxonomic decisions.

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