Abstract
Abstract We present here a taxonomic study of Apocynaceae from the Atlantic Forest remnants in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Northeast Brazil. Twenty-four species in 18 genera, distributed in Apocynoid grade (3 genera/5 species), Asclepiadoideae (8 genera/10 spp.), and Rauvolfioid grade (7 genera/9 spp.) were recorded. The most species-rich genera were Aspidosperma, Ditassa, and Mandevilla with three species each. The other genera were represented by one species each. Five genera and seven species were recorded in Rio Grande do Norte for the first time. Descriptions, identification key and comments on distribution and taxonomy of both genera and species are presented, as well as illustrations and figures.
Highlights
Apocynaceae has a cosmopolitan distribution with almost 357 genera and ca. 5,100 species and is one of the 10 largest families among angiosperms (Rapini 2001, 2012; Nazar et al 2013)
The Restinga is an associated ecosystem located along the Brazilian coast (Rizzini 1997), the Cerrado is a Brazilian savannalike phytogeographic domain, characteristic of Central Brazil (Oliveira & Marquis 2002), the Caatinga is a Brazilian semi-arid phytogeographic domain, in northeast Brazil (Prado 2003) and the “brejos de altitude” are rainforest “islands” in highlands and plateaus surrounded by Caatinga in northeast Brazil (Tabarelli & Santos 2004)
Fruit and flower samples were preserved in 70% alcohol for later laboratory analysis, and the voucher specimen was stored in the UFRN herbarium collection
Summary
Apocynaceae has a cosmopolitan distribution with almost 357 genera and ca. 5,100 species and is one of the 10 largest families among angiosperms (Rapini 2001, 2012; Nazar et al 2013). 5,100 species and is one of the 10 largest families among angiosperms (Rapini 2001, 2012; Nazar et al 2013). In Brazil, it is one the most representative family, with 782 species in 78 genera (Flora do Brasil 2020, under construction). Apocynaceae was considered as only one family, Apocineae, by Jussieu (1789), but was later divided into Asclepiadeae and Apocineae sensu stricto by Brown (1810). Afterwards, Schlechter (1905) divided Asclepiadeae into the two families Periplocaceae and Asclepiadaceae. Based on advanced phylogenetic studies and morphological and molecular data, Asclepiadaceae and Periplocaceae are not recognized as families anymore, because this would make Apocynaceae s.s. paraphyletic (Sennblad & Bremer 1996; Endress & Stevens 2002; Livshultz et al 2007).
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