Abstract
We conducted a floristic survey of lycophytes and monilophytes in Rio Preto State Park, located in the municipality of São Gonçalo do Rio Preto, and in the surrounding areas, including the municipality of Felício dos Santos, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study area is within the Espinhaço Mountain Range. Collections were made from June 1999 to August 2008, and the specimens were deposited in the Herbarium of the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Were identified 188 taxa (185 species, one subspecies and two varieties), distributed among 20 families and 60 genera. The most representative families were Polypodiaceae, with 35 species; Pteridaceae, with 24 species; Dryopteridaceae, with 23 species; Hymenophyllaceae, with 17 species; and Lycopodiaceae, with 13 species and one variety. The most species-rich genera were Elaphoglossum (n = 19), Asplenium (n = 12), Blechnum (n = 10) and Thelypteris (n = 9). Of the taxa recorded, nine are endangered species. Here we present a taxa checklist for the studied area, data regarding growth habit and vegetation type for each species, as well as comparative analyses between Rio Preto State Park and other areas within the Espinhaço Range and the Atlantic Forest, in terms of species composition.
Highlights
The Espinhaço Mountain Range, known as the Serra Geral, encompasses a group of mountains separating the São Francisco River Basin from the Atlantic coast of Brazil (Abreu 1984)
The aims of the present study were to generate a list of lycophyte and monilophyte species occurring in Rio Preto State Park (RPSP), located in the Planalto de Diamantina, extending the geographic distribution of some species; to perform comparative analyses between RPSP and other areas in the Espinhaço Range and the Atlantic Forest, in terms of species composition; and, to contribute to increasing the knowledge of the flora of the Espinhaço Range as well as that of the state of Minas Gerais as a whole
The observed distribution of lycophyte and monilophyte taxa in various vegetation formations in the RPSP highlights the importance of forest environments, especially those occurring above 1400 m, which contributes to colonization by several lycophyte and monilophyte groups and, by species of exclusive or preferential epiphytic habit
Summary
The Espinhaço Mountain Range, known as the Serra Geral, encompasses a group of mountains separating the São Francisco River Basin from the Atlantic coast of Brazil (Abreu 1984) This mountain chain is bordered on the south by the Serra de Ouro Branco, in the state of Minas Gerais, and on the north by the Serra da Jacobina, in the state of Bahia (Harley 1995). The mosaic of phytophysiognomies within the Espinhaço Range, composed of forest, grassland and savanna, provides a plurality of niches and contributes to high rates of endemism and species richness. In this context, the vegetation of the campos rupestres (“rupestrian grasslands”) is notable. The disrupted and scattered distribution of these grasslands throughout the Espinhaço Range, because of its heterogeneity—macro-spatial (altitudinal, topographic and latitudinal) and micro-spatial (edaphic and microclimatic)—contributes to the high rates of plant species richness and endemism in this mountain chain (Rapini et al 2008)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
