A new species of Rudgea (Palicoureeae, Rubiaceae) from Espírito Santo state, Brazil (original) (raw)

True axillary inflorescences in Rudgea (Palicoureeae, Rubiaceae), a newly reported characteristic of two new Brazilian species, R. quisquiliae and R. axilliflora

Phytotaxa, 2016

Two new species of Rudgea (Rubiaceae), R. quisquiliae and R. axilliflora, from Southeastern Brazil present true axillary inflorescences, a very distinct characteristic in the genus. Rudgea was previously characterized by the presence of usually terminal inflorescences, with pseudo-axillary inflorescences occurring in a single species, R. stipulacea. Rudgea quisquiliae is morphologically distinct within the genus by the combination of its large leaf-blades (15-33.5 × 7.5-15 cm), and axillary inflorescences. Rudgea axilliflora can be distinguished by its sheathing stipules with dorsal, glandular appendages, mediumsized leaf-blades (7-11 x 2.5-4 cm), lanceolate to elliptic, with 7-9 pairs of secondary veins, absence of domatia, axillary inflorescences and flowers with a distinctly lobed calyx. The new species were discovered in ombrophilous rainforest remnants in the south of Espírito Santo, one of the most diverse states in the Atlantic Forest biome.

The Rudgea hostmanniana complex (Rubiaceae) in the Guiana Shield region

Phytotaxa

A taxonomic revision of the Rudgea hostmanniana complex in the Guiana shield region is presented. This group includes species with sheathing stipules bearing dorsal appendages, thick glabrous leaves lacking domatia, inflorescences thyrsoid to glomerulate but not regularly dichotomous, a calyx tube absent or very short, a corolla tube 2–7(–13) mm long, and fruits usually brownish when immature and turning red or orange at maturity. Eight species are recognized, among which Rudgea billietiae, endemic to Kaw Mountain in French Guiana, is newly described and illustrated; it is assessed as Endangered according to IUCN criteria. The other species are R. bolivarensis, R. cornigera, R. coussareoides, R. hostmanniana, R. maypurensis, R. pungens, and R. tanaosepala. A key to the species is presented, as well as a table summarising their diagnostic characters.

Synopsis of Rubiaceae from the Iguaçu National Park, Paraná, Brazil

Rodriguésia, 2021

Iguaçu National Park represents the largest fragment of Inland Atlantic Rainforest of Paraná state. The vegetation is predominantly seasonal semideciduous forest, in the areas of Foz do Iguaçu and Capanema and a transition of this with Araucaria forest, in the Céu Azul area. This work aimed to recognize the genera and species of Rubiaceae occurring in the Park, through monthly collections from August 2013 to July 2014, supplemented with sporadic collections from May 2018 to April 2019. Thirty-five species were recorded, belonging to 19 genera. The most representative genera were Palicourea and Psychotria with five species, Galianthe, Manettia, Borreria with three, Geophila and Coccocypselum with two, and the other genera with only one species each. The areas with the major species richness were Foz do Iguaçu, with 24, of which four are exclusive to this area, followed by Céu Azul with 22 species, of which eight are exclusive. Of the 35 species recorded, seven occur in all areas and ...

Rubiaceae in Brazilian Atlantic Forest remnants: floristic similarity and implications for conservation

Brazil holds most of the Atlantic Forest Domain and is also one of the Rubiaceae diversity centers in the Neotropics. Despite the urban expansion in the state of Rio de Janeiro, large areas of continuous vegetation with high connectivity degree can still be found. Recently, new Rubiaceae species have been described in the Rio de Janeiro flora, which present small populations and very particular distribution. The current paper analyzed the similarity in the floristic composition of the Rubiaceae in eight Atlantic Forest remnants of Rio de Janeiro state protected by Conservation Units. We also surveyed and set guidelines for conservation of microendemic species. The similarity analysis were based on previously published studies in Área de Proteção Ambiental de Grumari, Área de Proteção Ambiental Palmares, Parque Estadual da Serra da Tiririca, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia, Parque Nacional de Jurubatiba, Reserva Biológica de Poço das Antas, Reserva Biológica do Tinguá and Reserva Ecológica de Macaé de Cima-using the PAST software (" Paleontological Statistics ") with Sørensen coefficient. The floristic similarity analysis revealed two groups with distinct physiographic characteristics and different vegetation types. Group A consisted in two Restinga areas, Área de Proteção Ambiental de Grumari and Parque Nacional de Jurubatiba, which showed strong bootstrap support (98 %). Group B included forest remnants with distinct phytophisiognomies or altitudes, but with moderate bootstrap support. Low similarity levels among the eight areas were found due to the habitats' heterogeneity. The current study pointed out 19 microendemic species from the Atlantic Forest, they present a single-site distribution or a distribution restricted to Mountain and Metropolitan regions of Rio de Janeiro state. Concerning the conservation status of microen-demic species, discrepancies between the Catalogue of Flora of Rio de Janeiro and the Red Book of Brazilian Flora (two of the main reference catalogs of Brazilian flora) have been identified. We have also highlighted the need for recollecting microendemic species from the Atlantic Forest, and for properly assessing the degree of threat faced by these taxons early. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (2): 655-665. Epub 2016 June 01.

Population structure of Rudgea parquioides (Rubiaceae), a shade-tolerant shrub species, in Southern Brazil

The expectations that shade-tolerant forest species show 1) a population structure composed by a high amount of small individuals, and 2) biomass allocation for diameter higher than for height growth, were tested for Rudgea parquioides, a typical shrub in Southern Brazil. We described the size structure (height and stem diameter) and allometrical relations of a R. parquioides population by counting and measuring all the individuals in a 725m2 area in the municipality of Curitiba (25◦250S; 49◦190W). A total of 916 individuals (12,634 ind.ha−1) were recorded in the area. The first expectation was supported, since distribution by height and diameter classes showed a predominance of small individuals (skewness coefficients > 1). On the other hand, the regression between height and stem base diameter showed slope β < 1, which indicates that growth in height is higher than in diameter, not supporting the second expectation. These results show that life strategies in shade-tolerant species may imply in more trade-off combinations than previously described.

Checklist of the rupicolous vascular plant species on inselbergs in the Monumento Natural dos Pontões Capixabas, Espírito Santo, Brazil

Inselbergs are granitic and/or gneissic rocky outcrops and, in Brazil, the dome-shaped ones are called sugarloaves (pães de açúcar). They have an extremely specialized vegetation with high levels of endemism. Despite this, they are poorly studied and highly degraded. In northeastern Espírito Santo State, in southeastern Brazil, the Monumento Natural dos Pontões Capixabas (MONAPC) is a federal protected area created to guard some inselbergs threatened by mining, which is one of the main activities in the state. In this work, we provide the first checklist of the rupicolous vascular plant species in this protected area, which is based on field expeditions and searching for occurrence records in virtual herbaria. We recorded 105 species in 36 families and 74 genera that inhabit the vegetation islands on the inselbergs within the official limits of MONAPC. A new species of Pleroma (Melastomataceae) was discovered and, it is being described.

Systematics, taxonomy and floristics of Brazilian Rubiaceae: an overview about the current status and future challenges

Rodriguésia, 2012

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.

Carajasia (Rubiaceae), a new and endangered genus from Carajás mountain range, Pará, Brazil

Phytotaxa, 2015

Carajasia is described as a new genus of Rubiaceae. It is so far known only from the mountain summits of Serra dos Carajás (Pará, Brazil), where it is part of a shrubby vegetation surrounded by tropical rainforest. The new genus belongs to the tribe Spermacoceae and is positioned within it to the Spermacoce clade. Carajasia is unique within the clade in having a very particular combination of characters: flowering branches with two axillary flowers per node, homostylous flowers, corollas with a fringe of moniliform hairs, pubescent styles with distinct stigma lobes, bilobed nectariferous discs covered by triangular papillae, pollen with a double reticulum and fruits with a peculiar type of dehiscence. A detailed description of Carajasia is presented, including observations of the fruit and pollen, along with distribution maps and images of the plant in its habitat. A dichotomous key to distinguish Carajasia from other genera with deeply divided stigmas is provided. A molecular phylo...