Bombacoideae, Byttnerioideae, Grewioideae and Helicterioideae (Malvaceae s.l.) in the Raso da Catarina Ecoregion, Bahia, Brazil

Jéssica Batista Lima,Adilva de Souza Conceição,Massimo Giuseppe Bovini

doi:10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2018-0569

Jéssica Batista Lima, Adilva de Souza Conceição

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2018-0569

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Abstract

Abstract: This work presents a floristic survey of the subfamilies Bombacoideae, Byttnerioideae, Grewioideae and Helicterioideae (Malvaceae s.l.) in the Raso da Catarina Ecoregion (RCE), Bahia, Brazil. The samples analyzed were collected from September 2013 to May 2015. The analyses were supplemented with dried collections kept in the herbaria: ALCB, HRB, HUEFS, HUNEB, HST, IPA, PEUFR, R and RB. The identifications were based mainly on specialized bibliographies, protologues, types and herbaria collections. Ten genera and 22 species of the subfamilies were recorded, nine endemic to Brazil. Waltheria L. was the most representative genus with five species, followed by Ceiba Mill. and Melochia L. with three species each, Helicteres L., Luehea Willd., Pachira Aubl. and Pseudobombax Dugand presented two species each and other genera were represented by one species each. Among the species recorded, Luehea candicans Mart. represents a new record for the Caatinga biome. The species most commonly found in the study area were Helicteres velutina K.Schum., Melochia tomentosa L., Waltheria brachypetala Turcz., W. indica L. and W. rotundifolia Schrank. The taxonomic treatment includes identification key, descriptions, illustrations, photos, geographical distribution, reproductive phenology and comments about all studied species. Keywords: biodiversity, Caatinga, morphology, semiarid, taxonomy.

Highlights

The family Malvaceae, as currently circumscribed, has a Cosmopolitan distribution, but is predominantly Pantropical, comprising about 250 genera and 4,200 species (Bayer & Kubitzki 2003)
Considering the importance of the subfamilies in the Brazilian flora, and the gap of information regarding these groups in the Caatinga biome, this study aimed to elaborate a taxonomic study of subfamilies within the Raso da Catarina Ecoregion (RCE) in the state of Bahia and to provide information in support of the development of management plans for the conservation units of the Ecoregion
The Raso da Catarina Ecoregion (RCE) comprises an area of 30.800 km2, being one of the eight Ecoregions recognized for the Caatinga biome in Brazil

Summary

Introduction

The family Malvaceae, as currently circumscribed, has a Cosmopolitan distribution, but is predominantly Pantropical, comprising about 250 genera and 4,200 species (Bayer & Kubitzki 2003). In recent decades, morphological, anatomical, palynological and chemical studies (Judd & Manchester 1997), associated with phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data (Alverson et al 1999, Bayer et al 1999, Nyffeler et al 2005), have shown that the separation of these four families is inconsistent For this reason, Bombacaceae, Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae were circumscribed within Malvaceae s.l., a monophyletic group characterized by the presence of nectaries consisting of glandular trichomes located internally at the base of the calyx or, less commonly, on the petals or androgynophore (Judd & Manchester 1997, Bayer et al 1999, Vogel 2000, Judd et al 2009). The subfamily Helicteroideae consists of the tribe Helictereae (formerly classified in Sterculiaceae) and Durioneae (formerly classified in Bombacaceae) (Alverson et al 1999, Bayer et al 1999, Bayer & Kubitzki 2003, Baum et al 2004)

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