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—Sphaerocionium is the largest subgenus of Hymenophyllum and occurs mainly in tropical forests of the Neotropical Region. Species of Hymenophyllum occurring in Brazil are poorly known due to difficulties in species delimitation and the absence of detailed studies. The aim of the present study was to present a synopsis of Hymenophyllum subg. Sphaerocionium in the Atlantic Forest domain, based on molecular and morphological data. Field and herbarium specimens were morphologically analyzed by stereomicroscopy, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Phylogenetic relationships were evaluated by sequence comparison of the plastidial regions trnG-R and rps4-trnS. Morphological and phylogenetic evidence led to the recognition of 14 taxa throughout the Atlantic Forest, five of which are endemic. The taxonomy and nomenclature of Hymenophyllum in Brazil are revised and 19 new lectotypifications are proposed. The conservation status and geographical distributions of all species are updated and a dichotomous key is provided.

—Morphological studies and molecular phylogenetic analyses were carried out to assess the taxonomic status of Hymenophyllum caudiculatum, a species with a disjunct distribution in South America. The species is found in tropical and subtropical forests of Brazil and in temperate forest of southern Argentina and Chile. Based on the results of morphological, molecular, and species delimitation analyses, Hymenophyllum caudatum of the Valdivian forest of southern Chile and Argentina is proposed as a species separate from H. caudiculatum, endemic to Brazil. The two taxa are delimited, respectively, as follows: 1‐5 cm long non-alate stipes (vs. 0.3‐1 cm long non-alate stipes in Brazilian H. caudiculatum); stipe wings gradually ending (vs. stipe wings abruptly ending very near the rhizome); margin entire to somewhat undulate (vs. margin undulate to crispate); soriferous segment alate, angustate, or null (vs. soriferous segment with laminar constriction at apex); and widely obovoid receptacle with sessile sporangia (vs. flattened obovoid or globose receptacle with shortly pedunculated sporangia). Descriptions for the two species recognized here and a map of their geographical distribution are provided, along with nomenclatural revision, illustrations, and conservation status assessments.

This work aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, yield, and antifungal activity of the essential oils (EO) of native species from the ‘Campos de Cima da Serra’ region, South Brazil. The species Aloysia gratissima, Aloysia lycioides, Blepharocalyx salicifolius, Cunila angustifolia, Myrciaria delicatula, Myrcia brasiliensis, Ocimum sp., and Schinus polygama had an EO yield higher than 0.1% v/m. The in vitro antifungal activity of these oils was tested on the fungi Alternaria alternata, Fusarium oxysporum, Botrytis cinerea, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, with an EO concentration of 0.1% v/v. Chemically, the EO of Ocimum sp. presented the highest dissimilarity compared to other species; the EOs of M. delicatula and M. brasiliensis presented the highest degree of similarity. Ocimum sp. EO inhibited the growth of all fungi; the EO of B. salicifolius had no inhibitory effect. The remaining oils had an intermediate antifungal activity which also depended on the fungi species.

The inventory of ferns and lycophytes was carried out in Cerro da Pedra do Lagarto, a vegetation refuge with distinct phytophysiognomies (forest and natural grassland, respectively) located in the district of Santo Antao, North of the Municipality of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul State. The aim of this study was to contribute to the knowledge of the flora of fern and lycophytes in the poorly sampled central Region of the State, supplying ecologic and biological data and a dichotomous key for the identification of the species observed. There are 34 fern species and two lycophyte species, belonging to 28 genera of 14 botanical families. Polypodiaceae was the richest family with eight species, followed by Pteridaceae, with seven. Most species were terrestrial and the only arborescent specie was Cyathea atrovirens. The inventoried data represent 9.5% of the known species of ferns and lycophytes for the State of Rio Grande do Sul.

Loopers such as Chrysodeixis includens (Walker), Rachiplusia nu (Guenée), and Trichoplusia ni (Hübner) are important defoliators in soybean, sunflower, and crucifer crops, respectively, in countries of the Americas. The biotic potential of these polyphagous species of Plusiinae was comparatively examined considering crop rotation and succession scenarios in which crucifer crops are cultivated during or after Brazilian winter. All the species developed and reproduced on soybean (BRS 133 Embrapa) and forage turnip (Cati AL 1000, Wolf Seeds do Brasil). The development of C. includens was similar on both host plants. The survival of R. nu was lower on forage turnip than on soybean. In contrast, T. ni performance (survival, fecundity, pupal weight) was better on forage turnip than on soybean. This suggests that in crop rotation and succession scenarios of soybean after brassicacea, C. includens is likely to have a higher number of generations per year and could be potentially more harmful.

The geomorphological and climatic aspects influence the environments mosaic existing in the northern region of Rio Grande do Sul, of which the coastal dunes stand out. The aim of this study was to carry out the floristic survey, by means of walks, and characterize the vegetation structure through the evaluation ofphytosociological parameters in 45 plots, in a portion of coastal dunes, Torres, RS. A number of 141 species were identified, 104 native and 37exotics, distributed in 54 families. The families Asteraceae and Poaceae presented the highest floristic richness. The species with the highest value of importance were Panicum racemosum (P. Beauv.) Spreng. and Panicum repens L. The high number of species found as well as the presence of endangered species indicates the importance of the area and the need to expand efforts for conservation, mainly because it is a buffer zone of the conservation unit Ilha dos Lobos Wild Life Refuge.

A survey of ferns and lycophytes of the Coastal Region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul (CRRS) was performed based on field work and collections of the main regional herbaria. The following were evaluated for each species: preferential habits (terrestrial, epiphytic or aquatic), geographic distribution patterns and habitats (forest, grassland, and wetland). The occurrence of a latitudinal gradient in diversity was tested over five latitudinal ranges using the Sørensen Similarity Index. A total of 17 lycophyte and 206 fern species representing 28 families was found between the latitudes of 29° and 34°S. Exclusively terrestrial species were predominant (162), with the majority (113) exhibiting wide Neotropical distributions, followed by species that also occurred in the state of Paraná (44). The forest habitat harbored the greatest number of species (159), while grasslands had the fewest (26). Cluster analysis showed pronounced floristic differentiation among latitudinal Ranges III (31°01' to 32°S) and IV (32°01' to 31°S), with a similarity index of only 0.41. Our results demonstrate a strong north-to-south reduction in species richness in the study area, which is related to environmental conditions along the latitudinal gradient and, especially, microclimatic differences in the transition zone between the Atlantic Forest and Pampa biomes.

Community structure and spatial distribution of epiphytic ferns in swamp forest remnants along the coastal plain of the state of Rio Grande do Sul were analyzed. A total of 440 trees were sampled in fifty-seven 10 x 10 m plots. Each phorophyte was divided into five ecological zones (strata), where all species of epiphytic ferns were recorded. A total of 34 species representing 18 genera in six families were recorded. Polypodiaceae was the most represented family with 17 species, and Microgramma vacciniifolia had the highest epiphytic importance value. Characteristic holoepiphyte was the predominant ecological category, representing 70 % of the species. Ordination analysis showed a gradual change in floristic composition between ecological zones with richness differing significantly between strata. We observed that with increasing latitude there was a decrease in mean temperature and total rainfall, but an increase in frosts. These climatic and phytogeography changes result in a reduction in species richness and a change in the structure of epiphytic fern communities in a north-to-south direction. The importance of swamp forest remnants of the coastal plain to the diversity of epiphytic ferns is discussed.