RCAAP Repository

A well-studied group of plants can serve as a model for addressing issues in conservation, evolution, and biogeography, making it possible to assign conservation status with confidence and detecting not only those taxa that are most threatened but also those that represent basal, unique, and/or relictual members of entire lineages. Clarified higher-level phylogenetic relationships open the door to more refined systematics of clades without having to worry if they are para- or polyphyletic. A well-studied group can also be an excellent testing ground for new or under-utilized tools and independent data sets. Research on the Burseraceae, with over 100 taxa in the Amazon, is rapidly arriving at the point where the family can be used effectively both as a tool for conservation and as a model for studying the processes influencing the origin and maintenance of high diversity in the Amazonian flora. First, we are resolving higher-level phylogenies as well as species-level taxonomy in various clades, allowing comparative approaches. Second, the family occurs throughout Amazonia and is well-represented in most habitats overall, but most of the taxa are restricted in their distributions and/or habitats; this makes it possible to test the relative importance of geographic barriers vs. habitat diversity in the speciation process. The family is sufficiently large to provide adequate statistical power for hypothesis testing and yet small enough to achieve the necessary sampling intensity, allowing us to assess the relative impacts of morphological innovation, ecological opportunity, and biogeographic events on the diversification of Burseraceae and related groups.

The risk assessment is made up of risk analyses of species extinction in a given time, following the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) criteria. In Brazil, the data necessary for risk assessments have poor quality, so we proposed the articulation of previous processes to improve data quality. The main objective of this work was to reassess the extinction risk of Brazilian species of Combretaceae previously considered as threatened, updating conservation data available for these taxa. Our results showed that the processes of taxonomic proceedings; data gathering; data analysis; georeferencing and communication improved the assessments consistency, specially due to systematization of the whole process. Of the 11 selected species for reassessment, five were threatened in the categories VU, EN, CR e CR* and six under significant threat of extinction. However the deficiency of herbaria data, the lack of digitalization of the majority of country collections and the limited access to available literature represent the main obstacles for extinction risk assessments of the Brazilian flora.

Asteraceae is one of the most abundant families of the Brazilian flora, and it stands out on Brazilian red lists due to the large number of endangered and data-deficient species, since it is difficult to define a conservation status for the latter. A comparative analysis of red lists of the Brazilian flora focused on the Asteraceae is important, so we can assess the true degree of threat to which these plants are subjected faced with increasing environmental degradation. Our analysis compared red lists, and pointed out the most threatened species or data-deficient areas, species and genera. The study was based on the first and the current Official List of Endangered Species of the Brazilian Flora, and the Brazilian Flora Red List of Fundação Biodiversitas. Species were organized according to the endangered and data-deficient IUCN categories. Endangered species were also classified according to threat category. The highest numbers of threatened species were observed in the Cerrado, in the southeastern region, and in the state of Minas Gerais, as well as in the genera Lychnophora Mart., Vernonia Schreb., and Richterago Kuntze. The genera Aspilia Thouars, Baccharis L., Calea L., Eupatorium L., Mikania Willd., Piptocarpha R.Br., and Senecio L. have the greatest number of data-deficient species. Since the current Official List does not make clear its threat criteria, the Red List of Fundação Biodiversitas best portrays the situation of endangered Asteraceae species; thus, this analysis provides important information for projects aimed at the conservation of threatened and data-deficient species.

The identification of Amazonian plants is still difficult for many reasons, one being the lack of collections over large areas of the region. As a consequence of the poor knowledge on the Amazonian flora, many taxonomic publications (revisions and floristic treatments) become out of date within a few years. In this context, the on-line publication of taxonomic treatises has been suggested, since it allows constant data updates; and this type of publication should therefore be more valued by the scientific community. An excellent field guide for the Ducke Reserve (Manaus, central Amazonian Brazil) was published, based exclusively on vegetative characters. However, the presence of reproductive structures in the collected material does not facilitate identification with this type of field guide. Furthermore, as in any printed key, the text cannot be updated, except through a new edition. As an example of a way to facilitate the identification of Amazonian plants, an interactive, multiple-entry key to the seed plant genera that occur in the Ducke Reserve was created using the program Lucid 3.5. The key includes vegetative and reproductive characters and many illustrations, and is available on-line. We discuss here the peculiarities and advantages of this type of electronic publication.

As investigações sobre a morfologia de plântulas, antes do surgimento dos metafilos, têm demonstrado rico potencial para estudos sistemáticos, inclusive testando a monofilia de gêneros de Leguminosae. Além disso, proporcionam a descoberta de estruturas transitórias, basais ou derivadas, que podem estabelecer conexões nem sempre ocorrentes no indivíduo adulto. A natureza dos cotilédones, de reserva ou folíaceos, é uma das principais características das leguminosae. O tipo de germinação constitui um dos caracteres mais relevantes para diferenciar suas espécies, assim como a forma do limbo, da margem, do ápice, posição dos eofilos, presença ou ausência de látex ou resina, relação comprimento/largura dos cotilédones, tamanho e número de pinas, pecíolo alado ou não, que permitem caracterizar famílias, gêneros e até mesmo espécies. Em Leguminosae, a morfologia de plântulas corrobora a identificação das plantas no campo e ainda fornece subsídios para delimitações genéricas e infragenéricas na família. De uma maneira geral as plântulas de Caesalpinioideae e Mimosoideae são epígeas, com cotilédones foliáceos; em Papilionoideae predominam plântulas hipógeas com cotilédones de reserva e extremamente variadas em termos morfológicos, principalmente nas tribos com espécies lenhosas.

The Apocynaceae comprise approximately 5,000 species and are widely distributed. The family belongs to the Gentianales and can be easily recognized by the presence of latex and a style-head derived from the fusion of two carpels at the apex of the styles. The largest subfamily in Apocynaceae is Asclepiadoideae. Treated as the Asclepiadaceae for almost two centuries, it comprises about 3,000 species and is defined by stamens with bisporangiate anthers and pollen transferred in specialized units called pollinaria. Since the 19th century, floristic studies and taxonomic monographs have significantly contributed to the taxonomy of Brazilian Asclepiadoideae. Nevertheless, advances in understanding the internal relationships in the subfamily were not done until this millennium, with the popularization of phylogenetic studies based on molecular data and powerful computer analyses. Advances in the systematics of Apocynaceae have provided new interpretations on the morphological evolution and biogeography of the family and have led to important changes in its classification. Nevertheless, several taxonomic rearrangements are still needed and it can be said that the taxonomy of Apocynaceae is "under construction". In this article, the major taxonomic changes in the family are reviewed, with special attention given to the systematics of Neotropical groups. A cladogram of the Apocynaceae is presented, which highlights the phylogenetic position of the Brazilian genera and their diversity in number of native species. The main studies and the diversity of Asclepiadoideae in Brazil are summarized and perspectives for future research on the subfamily are presented.

A summary of the classification of Poaceae into subfamilies according to different proposals is provided, as well as data on morphology and chorology of grasses, especially those that occur in Brazil.

The Rubiaceae is the fourth Angiosperm family in number of species in the World and in the Neotropics. Its overwhelming diversity and presence in most biomes, and at most vegetation layers, makes this family one of the most important components of tropical vegetation. During the last two decades, family classification went through several reorganizations, mostly influenced by the advent of molecular phylogenetic studies, and many taxonomic revisions and floristic studies on Brazilian Rubiaceae have become available. In view of the considerable amount of literature that has recently been produced on Neotropical Rubiaceae, the present work has two main objectives: the first is to offer an overall view of the most recent family classification with emphasis on the genera of Rubiaceae occurring in Brazil, and to indicate particular taxa that are still in need of phylogenetic and taxonomic studies; the second objective is to present a short discussion on the state of floristic and taxonomic knowledge with respect to the various regions of Brazil, indicating the taxa and the geographic areas that need to be studied.

A checklist and keys are provided for Lamiaceae native to Brazilian Amazonia (eight genera and 42 species), excluding the genera Vitex, Volkameria, Aegiphila and Amasonia, which have recently been transferred from the Verbenaceae, and for which the author did not have data. An herbarium voucher is listed for each state in which the species has been found. Notes on many cultivated taxa are included, and also a key to all species of Ocimum known from Brazil.

Uma retrospectiva do conhecimento taxonômico atual de Melastomataceae no Brasil é apresentada, constando uma abordagem histórica dos estudos já desenvolvidos e o cenário atual das circunscrições da família, tribos e gêneros. Também é abordada a distribuição geográfica do grupo nos diferentes domínios fitogeográficos, bem como o uso de novas ferramentas metodológicas, como filogenia e marcadores moleculares, para subsidiar propostas de novas classificações da família. São destacadas perspectivas de futuros estudos que possam contribuir para atualizar e preencher lacunas no conhecimento da diversidade do grupo na flora brasileira e apresentada uma chave de identificação para os gêneros no Brasil.

Pera Mutis é um gênero neotropical, com aproximadamente 30 espécies e centro de diversidade localizado na Bacia Amazônica. São árvores ou arbustos, dióicos ou raramente monóicos, que apresentam uma bráctea globosa que às vezes é confundida com botões florais. A última revisão do gênero foi realizada em 1919, sendo que muitas espécies foram descritas desde então. Este trabalho objetiva realizar um estudo taxonômico das espécies de Pera que ocorrem na Amazônia brasileira, discutindo a posição do gênero como parte de um táxon autônomo (Peraceae) ou como membro das Euphorbiaceae s.s. Foram encontradas 13 espécies na Amazônia brasileira: P. anisotricha Müll. Arg., P. bicolor (Klotzsch) Müll. Arg., P. benensis Ruby, P. coccinea (Benth.) Müll. Arg., P. decipiens Müll. Arg., P. distichophylla (Mart.) Baill., P. eiteniorum Bigio & Secco, P. glabrata (Schott) Baill., P. heteranthera (Schranck) I.M. Johnst, P. manausensis Bigio & Secco, P. membranacea Leal,P. tomentosa (Benth.) Müll. Arg. e P. pulchrifolia Ducke. Destas, três são novas ocorrências para a Amazônia brasileira, oito táxons foram considerados como novos sinônimos e novos lectótipos foram designados. Um histórico taxônomico do gênero, informações sobre sua morfologia, bem como descrições, chave de identificação, ilustrações e informações sobre a biologia de cada espécie são fornecidos.

The tribe Hippomaneae (Euphorbiaceae) in Brazil. The tribe Hippomaneae is discussed with respect to its taxonomic history, its placement within the Euphorbiaceae, its diagnostic characters (particularly the floral buds), current data on phylogeny and subdivision, and its general pattern of diversity. The tribe is represented in Brazil with 13 genera and ca. 120 species. A key to the Brazilian genera is provided. All Brazilian genera are discussed, citing relevant characters, recent taxonomic literature, and the current state of knowledge, sometimes pointing to unresolved problems. For five of the genera, published revisions exist; six genera have unpublished but completed revisions or are currently under revision. Actinostemon and Gymnanthes are currently the most difficult genera, mostly based on the absence of available up-to-date taxonomic references. For Mabea and Senefeldera, two genera with completed but currently unpublished revisions, additional data are given on aspects of their taxonomy, ecology and biogeography.

The Euphorbiaceae sensu lato are distributed mainly in the tropics, in various types of vegetation and habitats, being one of the largest, most complex and diverse families of angiosperms. It has recently been divided into four families, according to classification systems based on molecular phylogeny: Euphorbiaceae sensu stricto, Phyllanthaceae, Putranjivaceae, and Picrodendraceae. There is a proposition to establish Peraceae still under discussion. There were also changes in the taxonomic position of genera widely distributed in the Brazilian territory, such as Amanoa, Drypetes, Pera, Phyllanthus, Podocalyx, Pogonophora, and Richeria, among others. In addition, new species have been proposed and the limits of taxa distribution are expanding in Brazil. Thus, the authors provide an overview of recent studies and advances in the taxonomy of Euphorbiaceae s.l. in the Northern, Northeastern, Southeastern and Southern regions of Brazil, concentrating on review works and regional floras, as well as the changes that resulted in setting a new taxonomic family.

In the present study, a better knowledge of the influence of plasticizer content, storage relative humidity and film thickness on the mechanical properties of high amylose corn starch based films gelatinized at low temperature, is presented. The mechanical properties, tensile strength and percentage of elongation at break of high amylose corn starch films plasticized with glycerol were evaluated using tension tests. The films exhibited an increase in elongation and a decrease in tensile strength with increasing plasticizer concentration. When the glycerol level was high, some fissures were detected in the dry films, possible due to phase separation (starch-glycerol) phenomena. Film crystallinity is related to the reorganization capacity of the polymer chain, and thus the relative film crystallinity should increase with plasticizer content (glycerol and water). The mechanical properties were found to be strongly dependent on the water content due to the hydrophilic nature of starch films. The influence of moisture sorption on tensile strength was similar to that of plasticization with glycerol. The relationship between polymer chain mobility and water content explained this behavior. Elongation suffered a different effect and maximum values were reached at 45% relative humidity. The final drop in elongation was due to a softening of the structure at high relative humidity. The thicker the film the longer the drying time required, leading to greater relative crystallinity due to the corresponding increase in the possibility for chain reorganization. As a consequence, linear increases in tensile strength and elongation were observed with film thickness over the whole range studied (30 to 100 µm).

The Espinhaço Mountain Range in Minas Gerais state in southeastern Brazil is a center of endemism of the Bromeliaceae, mainly in campo rupestre montane vegetation that grows under rigorous edapho-climatic conditions. This study sought to improve our knowledge of the Bromeliaceae from Serra da Piedade in the extreme southern portion of the Espinhaço Mountain Range where ironstone outcrops predominate. Conservation status and spatial distribution of these plants were analyzed as well as floristic similarities with other regions with rocky outcrops. Twenty-five bromeliad species were found in Serra da Piedade, with the subfamily Tillandsioideae being the best represented. Twenty-seven percent of the species were exclusive to campo rupestre environments, while 73% occurred both on outcrops and in forest habitats. The bromeliads in the study area merit special attention as two species are considered vulnerable (Racinaea aerisincola and Vriesea minarum), five are endangered, and three are critically endangered. Low Jaccard index values indicated dissimilarities between the bromeliad floras in different localities of quartzite and ironstone outcrops within the Espinhaço Mountain Range. Serra da Piedade has a distinct bromeliad flora that is threatened by mining activities and illegal harvesting and requires immediate measures to help guarantee conservation.

Este estudo teve por objetivo avaliar o desempenho de latas de três peças eletrossoldadas, com corpo produzido em folha de flandres com camada de estanho de 2,0 g.m-2 no lado interno, contendo 350 g de extrato de tomate; o material dessa lata é uma alternativa à folha comumente utilizada no Brasil para acondicionamento de extrato de tomate, com 2,8 g de Sn.m-2. As latas contendo o produto foram condicionadas a 35 °C pelo período de 24 meses. Durante a estocagem, foram realizadas avaliações periódicas, incluindo determinações de estanho, ferro e cromo no alimento, pressão interna, composição gasosa do espaço livre e avaliação da aparência da superfície interna da embalagem, com o objetivo de se verificar a interação embalagem-alimento. Após o período estudado, pôde-se concluir que essa embalagem é uma opção viável para 13 meses de estocagem do produto, à temperatura ambiente de até 35 °C.

We aimed to describe population structure and dynamics of Cariniana estrellensis (Raddi) Kuntze to test the hypothesis that this species survives in the forest by forming a seedling bank. We evaluated seed germination, spatial distribution, and recruitment, growth and mortality rates of young individuals. To characterize population structure a 1.2-ha plot was defined, where reproductive adults were mapped; also 100 6 m² sub-plots were established to characterize structure and monitor dynamics of young individuals. We estimated seed production using seed collectors and determined the percentage of canopy cover by hemispherical photographs. Seed rain and saplings showed clustered distribution indicating habitat-patch formation. Sapling mortality occurred mainly during the initial establishment phase. Size structure was characterized by many saplings (X = 9,763 individuals ha-1) and few adults (X = 5 individuals ha-1), associated with a high rate of seed production (X = 60,800 seeds ha-1), low growth rates (X = 2.37 cm ano-1) and mortality (15.66%) of established saplings, showing that species invest in seedling bank formation as a reproductive strategy.

A abordagem do comportamento reológico de néctares mistos de frutas tem fornecido importantes informações para o processamento dos mesmos, resultando em benefícios para a indústria e, consequentemente, para o consumidor. Portanto, neste trabalho, se estudou o comportamento reológico de néctares mistos de caju, manga e acerola, nas temperaturas de 8 °C e 25 °C. As medidas experimentais foram realizadas em reômetro rotacional de cilindros concêntricos e os dados experimentais foram ajustados ao modelo de Casson. A tensão inicial apresentou ajuste ao modelo cúbico especial, para a temperatura de 8 °C. Para a temperatura de 25 °C, observou-se ajuste ao modelo cúbico especial para a viscosidade plástica de Casson. O aumento nas proporções de polpas de caju, manga e acerola resultou no aumento da viscosidade plástica de Casson e o aumento da quantidade de polpa de caju proporcionou aumento na tensão inicial.

Recently, the inclusion of physiognomies with Cordia oncocalyx Allemão (Boraginaceae) as a new type/unit within Andrade-Lima's classification of caatingas (ALFPC) has been proposed. However, no study has quantitatively analyzed this proposal so far. In order to fill this gap, a phytosociological study was conducted in a caatinga with C. oncocalyx, and differences in structure and physiognomy in relation to compiled caatinga studies were verified. 1795 plants from 25 species and a total basal area of 35.26 m² were found. C. oncocalyx and Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. (Fabaceae) had 48% of total importance index (IV). The physiognomy was characterized by the predominance of individuals of intermediate height (3‒4 m) and the tallest ones accounted for the highest fraction of basal area. Of the five species with highest IV, only one had high frequency among the species with highest IV in the compiled studies (16/35). Only two of these compiled studies were comparable to the present study, and only one could be classified according to ALFPC. A contrast between that study and the present one was found, as the first reports a dense community with high number of small diameter individuals accounting for most of the basal area. These findings suggest the suitability of including C. oncocalyx caatingas in low and medium caatinga forests as proposed in ALFPC. However, the low number of comparable studies limits generalizations.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da adição de concentrado proteico de soro (CPS) como substituto de gordura, além de determinar os melhores níveis de adição em pão de queijo elaborado por meio de dois processos de fabricação e comparar o efeito da substituição durante a estocagem. O efeito da substituição foi avaliado sensorialmente por meio de aparência, aparência da casca, textura e sabor e pela avaliação geral por uma equipe de cinco especialistas em tecnologia de pão de queijo, selecionados quanto à acuidade sensorial. Também foram determinados a textura em texturômetro TA-XT2i e o volume específico pelo método de deslocamento de sementes. A análise estatística dos resultados foi realizada por meio da análise de variância (ANOVA) e do teste de Tukey no nível de 5% de significância, utilizando-se o programa estatístico SAS (Statistical Analysis System, versão 8.0 - The SAS Institute, Cary, N.C.). As características sensoriais do pão de queijo escaldado (PQE) e do pão de queijo sem escaldamento (PQSE) estocados por até três meses não apresentaram diferença significativa (p &gt; 0,05) em relação a cada padrão, quando a gordura foi substituída em níveis de 50 e 100%, respectivamente. O pão de queijo sem escaldamento (PQSE) com 50% de substituição de gordura, estocado durante quatro meses, apresentou diferença significativa (p < 0,05) apenas na textura e na aparência da casca. Das características avaliadas no pão de queijo escaldado (PQE) e no pão de queijo sem escaldamento (PQSE) com substituição de gordura, a que apresentou maiores diferenças significativas (p < 0,05) foi a textura instrumental. Os melhores níveis de substituição foram 50% e 100% de gordura no pão de queijo escaldado (PQE) e no pão de queijo sem escaldamento (PQSE), respectivamente.