Abstract
Abstract Myrtaceae is a plant family with outstanding diversity in the neotropics, which species are of difficult identification. Thus, for the differentiation between species to be possible, targeted inventories and detailed descriptions are necessary, to develop accessible and reliable identification tools. The goal of this research is to quantify the species richness and describe vegetative characters of Myrtaceae species from a Araucaria Rainforest remnant, through identification of patterns and the elaboration of an dendrological key. For the characterization of trunk and bark, up to five healthy adult individuals of each species were selected, and for branches and leaves, up to three individuals. The voucher material was deposited at the Herbarium EFC. The vegetative morphology of each species was described and an identification key was prepared. 29 species, belonging to 11 genera, were documented: Blepharocalyx (1), Campomanesia (3), Eugenia (5), Myrceugenia (5), Myrcia (8), Myrcianthes (1), Myrciaria (1), Myrrhinium (1), Pimenta (1), Plinia (1) and Psidium (2). The main dendrological characteristics used for the species differentiation were: rhytidome aspect, appearance and colour of the internal bark, venation, punctuations, indumentum and dimensions of the leaf blade. Differentiation was possible using vegetative characters, with greater difficulty for two very similar species of Campomanesia.
Highlights
Myrtaceae has its name derived from the Greek word Myrtus, due to its aromatic leaves
The study was conducted in the forest fragment of the Center for Wood and Forest Sciences (Capão do CIFLOMA), a remnant of Araucaria Rainforest with 15,24 ha, located in Campus III (Botanic Garden) of Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, coordinates 25°26’53.3”S and 49°14’26.5”W
The floristic treatment was conducted between 2014 and 2017, through collection and identification of species, using specialized literature and comparison with specimens deposited at the Herbarium Escola de Florestas Curitiba (EFC) and Museu Botânico Municipal de Curitiba (MBM)
Summary
Myrtaceae has its name derived from the Greek word Myrtus, due to its aromatic leaves. With inconspicuous velvety indumentum on the adaxial face, becoming abundant on the abaxial face and primary adaxial vein, elliptic, apex acute to slightly acuminate, base acute to slightly attenuate, margin entire, blade (4.8–)6.4(–8.2) × (1.9–)2.7(–4) cm, with translucid punctuations visible only under stereomicroscope, against the light, adaxial central vein complanate to slightly depressed (concave) in profile, (9–)11(–15) pairs of secondary veins visible, forming intramarginal veins, on average 1.8 mm apart from the margin, tertiary veins reticulate.
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