Abstract
Abstract In Brazil, Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (SDTFs) are represented by Caatinga, which exhibits one of the greatest species richness and endemisms among the Neotropical SDTFs. However, studies of the flora of this biome remain deficient, especially in scientifically neglected areas, such as the Seridó region. Located between the states of Rio Grande do Norte (RN) and Paraíba, the Seridó region has an underestimated floristic diversity, especially for non-arboreal components such as climbers. Given this scenario, the study aimed to survey the climbers of the Seridó Ecological Station, a federal conservation unit located in the RN state, as well as to provide a multiple access online identification key. Collections were carried out from 2018 to 2019, as well as consultation of material deposited at the UFRN herbarium. In total, 56 species were listed, being 33 herbaceous and 23 woody climbers, respectively, adding 14 species of climbers to the previous checklist of the unit. Five new occurrences were found for the state of Rio Grande do Norte: Cuscuta globosa, Cuscuta partita (Convolvulaceae), Macroptilium bracteatum (Fabaceae), Heteropterys trichanthera and Tetrapterys longibracteata (Malpighiaceae), being the latest a new occurrence of the genus Tetrapterys for the state. Convolvulaceae is the most representative family (18 spp.), followed by Fabaceae (10 spp.), Apocynaceae (eight spp.) and Cucurbitaceae (five spp.). This is the first study that provides an interactive identification key for the Seridó region and for the RN state. The interactive identification key is published throughout the Xper³ platform, and can be accessed at <xper3.fr/xper3GeneratedFiles/publish/identification/-4505993480748774750/mkey.html>.
Highlights
The Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (SDTF) are formations characterized by the seasonal distribution of rainfall that result in several months of severe drought (Mooney et al 1995)
This study aims to make use of virtual taxonomic tools, which combines the basic principles of taxonomy and modern digital resources, facilitating access to data and dissemination of knowledge about the local flora
Five new occurrences were found for the state of Rio Grande do Norte (Tab. 1): Cuscuta globosa, Cuscuta partita, (Convolvulaceae), Macroptilium bracteatum (Fabaceae), Heteropterys trichanthera and Tetrapterys longibracteata (Malpighiaceae), being the latest a new occurrence of the genus Tetrapterys for the state
Summary
The Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (SDTF) are formations characterized by the seasonal distribution of rainfall that result in several months of severe drought (Mooney et al 1995). The Caatinga, located in Northeast Brazil, is the largest fragment of Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (SDTFs) in the neotropical region, with one of the greatest species richness and endemism among these formations (Prado 2003; Dryflor 2016). Despite the high level of degradation, the Caatinga still has well-preserved regions and comprises a considerable number of rare and endemic taxa (Giulietti et al 2004). The Caatinga vegetation displays unique adaptations to survive in a hostile environment, with extremely low rainfall and prolonged dry season, contrasting to those found in neighboring regions such as the Amazon and the Atlantic Forest (Queiroz et al 2017). Its main physiographic compositions include the frequent rock outcrops, extensive intermittent drainage, and the numerous fields of inselbergs, frequent in different types of formations
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