Ouratea Hexasperma Research Articles

How Deep Can the Endophytic Mycobiome Go? A Case Study on Six Woody Species from the Brazilian Cerrado

Elucidating the complex relationship between plants and endophytic fungi is very important in order to understand the maintenance of biodiversity, equity, stability, and ecosystem functioning. However, knowledge about the diversity of endophytic fungi from species of the native Brazilian Cerrado biome is poorly documented and remains largely unknown. These gaps led us to characterize the diversity of Cerrado endophytic foliar fungi associated with six woody species (Caryocar brasiliense, Dalbergia miscolobium, Leptolobium dasycarpum, Qualea parviflora, Ouratea hexasperma, and Styrax ferrugineus). Additionally, we investigated the influence of host plant identities on the structure of fungal communities. Culture-dependent methods coupled with DNA metabarcoding were employed. Irrespective of the approach, the phylum Ascomycota and the classes Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes were dominant. Using the cultivation-dependent method, 114 isolates were recovered from all the host species and classified into more than 20 genera and 50 species. Over 50 of the isolates belonged to the genus Diaporthe, and were distributed into more than 20 species. Metabarcoding revealed the phyla Chytridiomycota, Glomeromycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota, and Zoopagomycota. These groups are reported for the first time as components of the endophytic mycobiome of Cerrado plant species. In total, 400 genera were found in all host species. A unique leaf endophytic mycobiome was identified in each host species, which differed not only by the distribution of fungal species, but also by the abundance of shared species. These findings highlight the importance of the Brazilian Cerrado as a reservoir of microbial species, and emphasize how endophytic fungal communities are diversified and adapted.

Toxicity of Brazilian Medicinal Plant Extracts on Macrobrachium Amazonicum

Medicinal plants from Amazon have been commercialized for decades, but few scientific studies prove their effectiveness and safety in use in aquaculture activities. The objective of the present study was to use the Amazon river prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum to predict the toxicity of the natural extracts of nine medicinal plants viz pariri Arrabidaea chica, muirapuama Ptychopetalum olacoides, anauerá Licania macrophylla, barbatimão Ouratea hexasperma, faveira Vatairea guianensis, sacaca Croton cajucara, jacareúba Calophyllum brasilliense, pau d’arco Tabebuia sp. and verônica Dalbergia subcymosa, in concentrations of 1, 10, 100, 500 and 1000 µg/mL. The media was prepared in 0.5% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) diluted with water. Ten post-larvae (0.5 ± 0.1 g) were added to each triplicate and, after 24 h, the mortalities were evaluated, with the results of median lethal concentration expressed as LC50-24h using the Probit statistical method. To obtain the concentrations of a common bioactive compound of plant extracts, the concentrations of flavonoids were analyzed using a methodology based on the formation of chromophores. The results of acute toxicity indicate variability in the toxic effects of medicinal plants, taking into account the concentration of total flavonoids, with the least toxic Tabebuia sp. (LC50 = 758.31 µg/mL) and the most toxic C. cajucara and V. guianensis (LC50 = 72.16 and 75.23 µg/mL), respectively. The extracts demonstrated lethality against M. amazonicum, which predicts toxicity and warns of its use them as herbal medicines. More studies must be carried out to determine other bioactive compounds in the plant extracts used since there is an unparalleled availability of chemical diversity.

The type of substrate does not influence the intraspecific population structure of shrub‐tree species in the Brazilian savanna

AbstractLocal environmental conditions influence the occurrence and abundance of populations, and therefore, the contribution of the same species to the ecological structure and processes of communities can vary in different environments. We investigated the influence of the substrate on the intraspecific population structure of four shrub‐tree species from the Brazilian savanna (Aspidosperma tomentosum, Byrsonima pachyphylla, Davilla elliptica, and Ouratea hexasperma) that occur in adjacent areas, but under different environmental conditions: in shallow soils with rocky outcrops and steep relief in Rupestrian Savanna, and in deep soils and flat relief in Typical savanna. We hypothesized that the relief and physical–chemical conditions of the soil in the Rupestrian Savanna limit the establishment and development of species regarding the abundance of individuals and the horizontal and vertical structure of populations. We found that in the Rupestrian Savanna, the soil has higher levels of total cation exchange capacity and phosphorus, while in Typical Savanna, it is associated with higher pH, base saturation, and clay levels. We show that intraspecific variations do not differ between the two environments in number of individuals, average values of trunk diameter, and total plant height. We observed that the same species contributes in different ways to the structuring of communities in both environments. Our hypothesis was rejected because the population structure was not molded by the substrate type. We conclude that the shrub‐tree species seem to find adaptive alternatives to colonize the different types of substrates, for example, establishing in less stressful microhabitats on the rocky environments.

Yeast communities structure in fruits of different native plant species of brazilian Cerrado

In this study, we evaluated the occurrence and diversity of endophytic and total (endophytic + epiphytic) yeasts in fruits of seven Cerrado native plant species in two Conservation Units from the Distrito Federal, Brasília, Brazil. Healthy and mature fruits were collected for the isolation of yeasts using MYGP medium. After five days, the colonies were counted and the morphologically distinct yeasts were isolated axenic culture. The molecular identification of the isolates was performed using ITS region (rDNA). A total of 69 specimens of yeasts were isolated. The Guapira graciliflora (endophytic) and Ouratea hexasperma (total) hosts had higher yeast densities per gram of fruit and together with the Brosimum gaudichaudii showed higher species diversity. Yeasts belonging to the Ascomycota Phylum were predominant. The most frequent genera of yeasts were Candida, Aureobasidium and Hannaella. Others genera such as Hanseniaspora, Meyerozyma, Filobasidium, Cryptococcus, Symmetrospora, Sirobasidium, Meira, Rhodosporidiobolus, Papiliotrema and Erythrobasidium were identified. This is the first report of the occurrence of endophytic yeasts in fruits of G. graciliflora and represents the host with greater density and diversity of species of endophytic yeasts. In addition, expands the knowledge about the occurrence of yeasts associated with the fruits of seven native plant species of the Cerrado.

Witches’ brooms increases arthropod-plant interactions in Ouratea hexasperma (Baill.) (Ochnaceae)

Ouratea hexasperma (Baill.) (Ochnaceae) trees can be infected by pathogens, which drastically alters branch structure by inducing witches' brooms, a massed proliferation of short and bushy branches, similar to broom. These structures can be used by other organisms, mainly arthropods, as nest refuges and places for prey. In this study, we tested and confirmed the hypothesis that witches' brooms can act as ecosystem engineer for O. hexasperma, promoting significant increases in arthropod/plant interactions. We found arthropods belonging to eleven different orders, associated with O. hexasperma, when plants generated witches' brooms; Psocoptera and Thysanoptera were the most abundant tenants. Plants without witches' brooms were only associated with two arthropod orders (Coleoptera and Araneae). Alternately, we did not find any positive links between the number of witches' brooms in plants, and arthropod abundance and richness within them. This study demonstrates that witches’ brooms are structures that generate better micro-habitats for different organisms, thus maximizing arthropod/plant interactions.

Estrutura e diversidade de trechos de Cerrado <i>sensu stricto</i> às margens de rodovias no estado de Minas Gerais

Estradas são um dos principais fatores de degradação conhecidos do Cerrado, pois, apesar de sua relevância econômica, causam recortes em extensas massas contínuas de biota natural. De acordo com o Código Florestal Brasileiro, a vegetação às margens de rodovias deve ser considerada como de preservação permanente. Entretanto, escassos são os estudos que visam avaliar o real potencial conservacionista destas áreas. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar o estágio de conservação do estrato arbóreo do Cerrado localizado nas faixas de proteção das rodovias MG-190, MG-223, BR-365 e BR-352. Foram amostradas 40 parcelas de 50 x 10 m nas margens dessas rodovias e demarcados todos os indivíduos arbóreos vivos com circunferência a 30 cm do solo maior ou igual 15 cm. Foram calculados os parâmetros fitossociológicos de densidade, dominância e frequência relativa, valor de importância, equabilidade de Pielou e os índices de diversidade de Shannon-Weaver e Simpson. A riqueza foi estimada utilizando os estimadores Jackknife 2 eBootstrap. Foram amostrados 790 indivíduos pertencentes a 88 espécies e 35 famílias. O índice de diversidade de Shannon-Weaver foi 3,64 nats.ind-1, o índice de Simpson foi 0,94 e a equabilidade foi 0,81. As espécies mais comuns no levantamento foram Dalbergia miscolobium, Piptocarpha rotundifolia, Machaerium acutifolium, Ouratea hexasperma e Stenocalyx dysentericus. As famílias com maior número de espécies foram Fabaceae (20 espécies), Myrtaceae (8 espécies) e Bignoniaceae (7 espécies). A riqueza estimada foi de 108 espécies pelo estimador Bootstrap e de 159 pelo estimador Jackknife 2, demonstrando que o número de espécies nas margens das estradas pode ser maior do que a encontrada em alguns Cerrados protegidos. Pode-se inferir que as margens de rodovias conservam um importante montante da flora arbórea do Cerrado, o que preconiza a sua manutenção, dado a atual situação de degradação intensiva do Cerrado.

Chemical and Biological insights of Ouratea hexasperma (A. St.-Hil.) Baill.: a source of bioactive compounds with multifunctional properties

The study aimed to evaluate in vitro antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antidiabetic properties of Ouratea hexasperma (A. St.-Hil.) Baill. The inflorescence methanol extract and the ethyl acetate fraction of leaves and stems reported the highest Relative Antioxidant Capacity Index (RACI), whereas the dichloromethane fraction of leaves was the best inhibitor of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. Trans-3-O-methyl-resveratrol-2-C-β-glucoside, lithospermoside, 2,5-dimethoxy-p-benzoquinone, lup-20(30)-ene-3β,28-diol, 7-O-methylgenistein, apigenin and luteolin and amentoflavone were isolated from O. hexasperma. Resveratrol derivative was isolated for the first time in Ochnaceae family. Luteolin, followed by apigenin, reported the highest Relative Antioxidant Capacity Index and they were also the best inhibitors of α-glucosidase enzyme.

Probing the interaction between 7-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-6-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-5,4′-dihydroxyflavonol with bovine serum albumin (BSA)

Abstract Serum albumin is the most abundant protein in the circulatory system. It plays an important role in the transport and deposition of many molecules in the body. The 7- O - β - d -glucopyranosyl-6-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-5,4′-dihydroxyflavonol (PF) is a glycosylated flavonoid isolated from Ouratea hexasperma (Ochnaceae) branches. It shows important biological activities, such as cytotoxic, antimicrobial and antitumor. The aim of this study was to examine the interaction of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with PF in a PBS buffer solution (pH = 7.4) at 296 K, 303 K and 310 K, by spectroscopic techniques (UV–vis, circular dichroism, FTIR-ATR, steady-state, time-resolved, synchronous and 3D fluorescence) and molecular docking. The experimental results showed that the intrinsic fluorescence quenching of BSA induced by PF resulted in an association BSA:PF in the ground state (k q 10 12 M −1 s −1 ). The association is moderate with K a ≈ 10 4 M −1 and K b ≈ 10 5 M −1 . The CD, 3D and synchronous fluorescence, as well as FTIR-ATR results indicate that the association BSA:PF does not result in a significant perturbation on the secondary structure of BSA. Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is not operating in the present case. The negative values for ΔG° are in accord with the spontaneity of the interaction. ΔH° 0 indicate an enthalpically and also entropically driven association and the main interaction forces between BSA:PF are hydrogen bonding and/or electrostatic forces. The number of binding sites ( n ≈ 1) indicate only one main binding site for the interaction BSA:PF. The competitive binding studies indicate Trp-212-containing binding site as the main pocket for the interaction BSA:PF and molecular docking results also suggest the same cavity. Inside this site, the amino acid residues Glu-152, Arg-194, Arg-198, Arg-217, Ser-343, Asp-450 and Ser-453 interact by hydrogen bond with PF, whereas Ala-341 and Val-342 residues interact by hydrophobic interactions.

Integrative data helps the assessment of a butterfly within the Udranomia kikkawai species complex (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae): Immature stages, natural history, and molecular evidence

The immature stages of the skipper butterfly Udranomia kikkawai from Brazil are described, including information on host plant use in cerrado savanna, shelter building behavior, and barcode sequences. The caterpillars feed on young leaves of two host food plants, Ouratea spectabilis and Ouratea hexasperma (Ochnaceae). The duration from egg hatching to adult eclosion averaged 30 days. Immature stages of U. kikkawai morphologically resemble those of other Hesperiidae by lacking head horns and complete lack of body scoli, and having a fusiform pupa with uniform color (except for mimetic false eye spots) and no projections. The young-leaf color of Udranomia caterpillars contrasts with that observed in the sister genus Drephalys, whose larvae are conspicuously colored. The food plant of Udranomia is also very uniform: all records are Ochnaceae across the distribution range of Udranomia. Based on molecular data, Brazilian populations correspond to the true U. kikkawai, which is part of a species complex that includes at least two additional undescribed species from Costa Rica. Our paper shows that free access to exchangeable database platforms can raise natural history studies to an integrative level that helps clarify patterns of diversity within taxonomically problematic groups.

Influence, or the lack thereof, of host phenology, architecture and climate on the occurrence of Udranomia spitzi (Hesperiidae: Lepidoptera)

AbstractThe occurrence of herbivores in nature is limited by biotic and abiotic factors which affect their development and survival. Udranomia spitzi is an endemic butterfly in the Brazilian savanna (cerrado) that feeds on young leaves of two sympatric plants, Ouratea hexasperma and O. spectabilis. It is not known which factors affect the occurrence of larvae on their hosts. Therefore, in this study we: (i) evaluated the oviposition preference of U. spitzi; (ii) evaluated the larval performance in both Ouratea species; (iii) investigated plant phenology; (iv) investigated climate (temperature and rainfall); and (v) investigated plant architecture (measured as plant height) on the abundance of skippers. Results showed that U. spitzi immatures (eggs and larvae) were far more abundant (n = 41, 96.7%) on O. spectabilis, whereas on O. hexasperma, the number of larvae was negligible (n = 1). In the laboratory, U. spitzi performed better on O. spectabilis than on O. hexasperma. The occurrence of larvae was not related to host phenology or environmental variations, but rather to plant height, since 92.7% (n = 38) of larvae were found on small O. spectabilis trees. A previous study showed that U. spitzi was not influenced by biotic factors (aggressive ants) and this study showed that plant structure plays a major role in skipper choice. The preference of U. spitzi for O. spectabilis is discussed.

Chemical constituents from the inflorescences of Ouratea hexasperma

Chemical constituents from the inflorescences of Ouratea hexasperma

Caracterização da vegetação arbórea adulta em um fragmento de floresta atlântica, Igarassu-PE

The main objective of this study was to provide a characterization of adult tree vegetation in a fragment of Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil. Forty plots (10 x 25m) were set up, totaling 1 ha, in which all woody individuals with PBH ? 15 cm were sampled. A total of 1,576 individuals were recorded, of 115 species, 41 families and 69 genera. Shannon-Weaver diversity index was of 3.6 nats/ ind. Most species-rich families were: Myrtaceae (17 species), Melastomataceae and Mimosaceae (7), Caesalpiniaceae and Sapotaceae (6), Apocynaceae, Fabaceae and Rubiaceae (5). Most important species wereEschweilera ovata, Dialium guianense, Pogonophora schomburgkiana, Brosimum discolor, Tapirira guianensis, Maytenus disticophylla, Parkia pendula, Byrsonima sericea, Allophyllus edulis and Ouratea hexasperma. Distribution of individuals per diameter classes showed a “reversed J” shape; per height classes, most individuals were concentrated at intermediate classes. Tree diversity in this fragment is amongst mean values recorded at the State. Most important families and species are also frequent in other surveys in forest remnants in the State of Pernambuco. The fact that a great number of individuals appear in low diameter and height classes may suggest that the fragment in regenerating, with areas at initial stages of succession.

New flavonoids and other constituents from Ouratea hexasperma (Ochnaceae)

Chromatographical fractionation of the methanol extract from the branches of Ouratea hexasperma (Ochnaceae) afforded two new flavonoids, 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-6-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-5,4'-dihydroxyflavanonol (6-β,β-dimethylallylaromadendrin-7-O-β-D-glucoside) and 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-6-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-3,5,4'-trihydroxyflavone (6-β,β-dimethylallylkaempferol-7-O-β-D-glucoside) besides a mixture of sitosterol and stigmasterol,lupeol, sitosterol-3-O-β-D-glycopyranoside and 2,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. The structures were established by analysis of IR, ESI-MS, and NMR spectra of the natural substances, and those of the dimethyl ether and peracetyl-derivatives of the new flavone, as well as comparison with literature values.

Antitumor activity of biflavonoids from Ouratea and Luxemburgia on human cancer cell lines

The biflavones 7,7-dimethyllanaraflavone (1), agathisflavone (2), and 7-methylagathisflavone (3) isolated from the leaves of Ouratea hexasperma and luxenchalcone (4) isolated from the leaves and branches of Luxemburgia octandra, as well as a mixture of 7,7-dimethyllanaraflavone and 7-methylagathisflavone, were assayed against HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma, NCl-H460 non-small cell lung carcinoma, MCF-7 breast cancer cell, OVCAR-3 ovarian adenocarcinoma cells, and RXF-393 renal cell carcinoma. The results show significant activities, particularly for 7,7-dimethyllanaraflavone (IC₅₀ 0.77 ± 0.08, 2.42 ± 0.22, and 2.59 ± 0.32 mg/ml for NCl-H460, MCF-7, and OVCAR-3, respectively), and for 7-methylagathisflavone (IC₅₀ values of 4 mg/ml). Luxenchalcone revealed significant cytotoxicity on the five cell lines tested.

Florística e estrutura de comunidades arbóreas em cerrados de Rondônia,Brasil

O cerrado constitui o segundo maior e mais diverso bioma brasileiro, configurando um heterogêneo mosaico fisionômico e florístico. Mais de seis mil espécies de fanerógamas são reportadas para o cerrado do Brasil Central. Este trabalho teve o objetivo de descrever e analisar a flora e a estrutura de quatro comunidades de árvores dos cerrados sensu latu do município de Vilhena, Rondônia, Brasil. As áreas estudadas foram: cerradão (Área 1), campo sujo (Área 2) e duas comunidades do cerrado sensu stricto (Áreas 3 e 4). Em cada área foi posicionado aleatoriamente um transecto de 10 x 1000 m (1 ha), dividido em 100 parcelas de 10 X 10 m. Todas as plantas vivas e mortas com circunferência do tronco e" 10 cm ao nível do solo foram registradas. O cerradão apresentou a maior riqueza específica, estrutura de tamanho e área basal. As percentagens de árvores mortas foram mais altas nas áreas de cerradão e campo sujo, com ocorrência de fogo recente. As famílias mais importantes foram Vochysiaceae, Ochnaceae, Clusiaceae, Malpighiaceae e Melastomataceae. As espécies mais importantes foram Qualea multiflora, Byrsonima crassifolia (área 1), Eugenia sp., Miconia sp.1 (área 2), Ouratea hexasperma, Caraipa savannarum (área 3), Ouratea hexasperma, Pouteria sp.3 (área 4). A maioria das espécies ocorre somente em uma área, sugerindo que a priorização de áreas para conservação deve envolver todo o mosaico de cerrados existentes. A mortalidade associada ao fogo é diferenciada entre as áreas, talvez induzida pelo grau de flamabilidade, recorrência do fogo e de fatores históricos do uso da terra.

Others flavonoids from Ouratea hexasperma (Ochnaceae)

Chromatographic fractionation of the extracts from the leaves of Ouratea hexasperma (Ochnaceae) afforded a new flavone dimer 5-hydroxy-7-methoxyflavone-(4'-O-8")-5",4"' -dihydroxy-7"-methoxyflavone besides known agathisflavone, 7"-methylagathisflavone, epicatechin, 6-C-glycopyranosyl-luteolin and 3-O-glycopyranosyl-quercetin. The IR, NMR and mass spectra data analyses were used to establish the structures of these compounds.

Fitossociologia de um fragmento de cerrado sensu stricto na APA do Paranoá, DF, Brasil

Este estudo foi conduzido no Distrito Federal, no Centro Olímpico da Universidade de Brasília. O local é um dos poucos remanescentes de vegetação natural no perímetro urbano de Brasília. O objetivo do trabalho foi estudar a composição florística e a fitossociologia do cerrado sensu stricto, visando obter subsídios para um plano de conservação da área. Foram alocadas aleatoriamente dez parcelas de 20×50m (1.000m²). Foram incluídos na amostragem todos os troncos com diâmetro maior ou igual a 5cm, obtidos a 30cm do solo. Foram amostradas 54 espécies distribuídas em 44 gêneros e 30 famílias. A família Leguminosae apresentou o maior número de espécies (9), seguida da Malpighiaceae (4) e Vochysiaseae (4). As espécies com maior Índice do Valor de Importância foram Stryphnodendron adstringens (Mart.) Coville, Styrax ferrugineus Nees & Mart., Ouratea hexasperma (A. St.-Hill.), Caryocar brasiliense Cambess. e Kielmeyera coriacea (Spreng.) Mart. O índice de Shannon (H'= 3,41) comprovou a alta diversidade da área. A densidade foi de 882 árvores por hectare e a área basal de 9,53m²/ha.

Fitossociologia e similaridade florística entre trechos de Cerrado sentido restrito em interflúvio e em vale no Jardim Botânico de Brasília, DF

Este estudo teve como objetivo verificar a composição florística, densidade e área basal do componente lenhoso do cerrado sentido restrito em duas situações num gradiente topográfico, designadas interflúvio (I) e vale (V), no Jardim Botânico de Brasília, DF. Foram alocadas em cada área 10 parcelas permanentes de 20x50m para amostragem de todos os indivíduos com diâmetro basal DB(30cm)> 5cm. A classificação por UPGMA (Índices de Sørensen e Morisita) foi usada para a avaliação da similaridade entre parcelas. A análise da fitossociologia mostrou que as espécies mais importantes no interflúvio foram: Ouratea hexasperma (A. St.Hil) Baill., Miconia ferruginata DC. e Dalbergia miscolobium Benth., enquanto que no vale foram: Eriotheca pubescens (Mart. & Zucc.) Schott & Endl., Ouratea hexasperma (A. St.-Hil.) Baill. e Schefflera macrocarpa (Seem) D.C. Frodin. Os índices de similaridade variaram entre 0,26 a 0,81 (Sørensen) e 0,06 a 0,92 (Morisita). A classificação por UPGMA indicou dois grupos principais, que coincidiram com as posições no relevo: interflúvio e vale. Os resultados salientaram a topografia como forte determinante na distribuição de algumas das populações e comunidades lenhosas, por meio de sua influência na variação da profundidade do lençol freático, que afetou a composição florística, a densidade (I/V=1.219/956 ind.ha-1) e a área basal (I/V=8,56/5,64m².ha-1) nos Cerrados sentido restrito de interflúvio (I) e vale (V) estudados.

DNA topoisomerase inhibitors: biflavonoids from Ouratea species.

Topoisomerase inhibitors are agents with anticancer activity. 7"-O-Methyl-agathisflavone (I) and amentoflavone (II) are biflavonoids and were isolated from the Brazilian plants Ouratea hexasperma and O. semiserrata, respectively. These biflavonoids and the acetyl derivative of II (IIa) are inhibitors of human DNA topoisomerases I at 200 microM, as demonstrated by the relaxation assay of supercoiled DNA, and only agathisflavone (I) at 200 microM also inhibited DNA topoisomerases II-alpha, as observed by decatenation and relaxation assays. The biflavonoids showed concentration-dependent growth inhibitory activities on Ehrlich carcinoma cells in 45-h culture, assayed by a tetrazolium method, with IC50 = 24 +/- 1.4 microM for I, 26 +/- 1.1 microM for II and 10 +/- 0.7 microM for IIa. These biflavonoids were assayed against human K562 leukemia cells in 45-h culture, but only I showed 42% growth inhibitory activity at 90 microM. Our results suggest that biflavonoids are targets for DNA topoisomerases and their cytotoxicity is dependent on tumor cell type.

Fitossociologia de uma área de cerrado denso na RECOR-IBGE, Brasília-DF

Foi amostrada uma área de 10ha de cerrado denso da RECOR-IBGE, Brasília-DF. Nesta foram estabelecidas parcelas experimentais de um projeto para o estudo do efeito do fogo na vegetação do cerrado com um delineamento em blocos casualizados. Este levantamento foi efetuado antes da aplicação dos tratamentos visando conhecer a composição florística e estrutura da vegetação original. Foram incluídos todos os indivíduos lenhosos e aqueles não-lenhosos pertencentes à família Velloziaceae, com diâmetro mínimo de 5cm, presentes em cinco parcelas de 1000m². Foram medidas as alturas e os diâmetros a 30cm do solo de cada indivíduo. Ao todo foram amostrados 982 indivíduos, pertencentes a 63 espécies e a 34 famílias. Cerca de 47% das famílias foram representadas por apenas uma espécie. Apenas 16 espécies foram comuns a todas as cinco parcelas. A diversidade da área foi alta (H'= 3,53) e a similaridade entre as parcelas segundo índice de Sørensen foi também alta. As espécies Sclerolobium paniculatum, Eremanthus glomerulatus, Schefflera macrocarpum, Ouratea hexasperma, Vochysia thyrsoidea, Guapira noxia, Caryocar brasiliense, Vellozia squamata, Qualea grandiflora e Emmotum nitens apresentaram os maiores valores de importância. As estimativas de densidade e de área basal por hectare foram de 1964 indivíduos e 13,28m², respectivamente. A diversidade foi equivalente a de outras áreas de cerrado sensu stricto na região, mas a densidade e a área basal foram mais elevadas.