Search

Floral colors and odors are evolutionary strategies used by plants to attract pollinating animals and may be absent in mostly anemophilous groups, such as Cyperaceae. However, considering that insects are floral visitors of some Rhynchospora Vahl species, the objective of this study was to characterize the floral traits and pollination systems within this genus. We analyzed 16 Rhynchospora species with regard to flower morphology, colors of floral structures, floral scents, pollen vectors, and pollination systems. We verified factors that can favor abiotic or biotic pollination in a continuum of floral traits in Rhynchospora. The flower morphology of R. dissitispicula T. Koyama, with inconspicuous brown spikelets in open panicles, is interpreted as a complete adaptation to anemophily. Conspicuous floral traits in Rhynchospora were distinguished from the background by bees. Some species also emit floral volatiles, and we made the first record of floral scent chemistry within the genus. Most of the compounds emitted by these species are known as attractants to many floral-visiting insects. Bees, beetles, and flies visited species with conspicuous floral traits and contributed to fruit set. The investigated floral traits form a continuum across the different pollination systems in Rhynchospora, from anemophilous to ambophilous and then to entomophilous representatives.

While studying the collections of Cryptangieae (Cyperaceae) at the New York Botanical Garden, we found specimens of two undescribed species, which based on their achene morphology are assigned to the genus Cephalocarpus. We name and describe these two new species, C. insolitus and C. neblinensis, from the Guayana Highland of northern South America. Both species have three fimbriate hipoginium scales on opposite sides of the fruit and a constriction zone between the main body and the beak of the achene, as in other species of Cephalocarpus. We also provide illustrations, distribution maps and comments about the taxonomy and distribution for each species.

Rhynchospora is one of the most species-rich genera of Cyperaceae, comprising c. 400 species in 28 sections. Rhyncospora section Tenues is one of the largest sections and one of the most problematic. Because it is morphologically similar to sections Laevinuces, Luzuliformes and Spermodontes, the characters traditionally used to distinguish section Tenues cannot be reliably used to place species into one of these four sections. These four sections are included in the Psilocarya group of Rhynchospora subgenus Rhynchospora with sections Psilocarya and Dichromena. Previous molecular studies of Rhynchospora indicate that species of the Psilocarya group form a clade and are sister to at least some species of the sections being studied here. Since only 11 of the estimated 41 species in these four sections were included in earlier phylogenetic studies, the relationships among these sections remain unclear. To elucidate these relationships, we conducted a molecular phylogenetic analysis for Rhynchospora, based on plastid trnL-F and nuclear ETS and ITS markers, emphasizing species in these four sections. Results show that sections Laevinuces, Spermodontes and Tenues are individually not monophyletic but, grouped together, form a well-supported clade, Rhynchospora section Tenues s.l. Rhynchospora section Luzuliformes is monophyletic but is not a sister clade of section Tenues.

During the preparation of a taxonomic revision of Rhynchospora sect. Longirostres, we found several scientific names that needed to be lectotypified or neotypified. In addition, Rhynchospora amazonica subsp. guianensis is being recognized at the level of species and requires a new name, Rhynchospora rionegrensis. This species is described and illustrated and differs from R. amazonica by its lateral and terminal, generally turbinate inflorescences, brown spikelet scales, loose fascicles, and longer stylopodium. Lectotypes are chosen for Calyptrostylis longirostris (the basionym of R. rionegrensis), R. amazonica, and R. macrostachya, and a neotype chosen for R. stenocarpa.

Recent molecular phylogenies have demonstrated that Pleurostachys (Cyperaceae) should be recognized as a section within Rhynchospora. Here all accepted species of Pleurostachys are transferred to Rhynchospora sect. Pleurostachys, five new combinations are made, and one new name provided. Rhynchospora austrobahiensis and R. contraligularis are described as new species endemic to the Atlantic forest of southern Bahia, Brazil. They are distinct from all other species of sect. Pleurostachys by having spikelets that are never clustered and basal leaves over 1 cm wide. The summit of the inner band of the leaf sheath on R. austrobahiensis is concave to triangular while that of R. contraligularis is arched with a distinct, chartaceous contraligule. Both species are illustrated and compared to other species of Rhynchospora sect. Pleurostachys.

—Two new species of Rhynchospora section Tenues are described, illustrated, and distinguished from similar species. Rhynchospora chapadensis and Rhynchospora harleyi are both endemic to the campos rupestres (high-elevation rocky meadows) of the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil.

A new species of Rhynchospora section Tenues, from western Bahia, Brazil, is described, illustrated, and compared to related species.

Rhynchospora seccoi, a new species of Rhynchospora sect. Tenues (Cyperaceae) is herein described and illustrated. This new species from Serra dos Carajás (Pará State, Brazil) is morphologically similar to R. tenuis and R. riparia, but differs by being annual and having often cauline leaves, a synflorescence comprising 1 terminal and 2–3 axillary paniculodia, a nutlet with a rounded apex, a nutlet surface with 8–10(12) transverse ridges of vertically oriented linear cells, and a persistent style-base that is brown, shallowly triangular, and shortly bilobed at the base, with the lobes not extending along the shoulders of nutlet.

The taxonomic identity of Rhynchospora panduranganii and R. corymbosa (Cyperaceae) is resolved based on a detailed study of both herbarium specimens and living collections. We provide distinguishing characters of both species, along with photographs for easy identification.

Rhynchospora Vahl (1805:229) is the richest genus of Cyperaceae in southern Brazil (66 spp., Flora do Brasil 2020). Most species grow in open areas such as meadows and grasslands but some occur in forests or along forest edges. As part of a taxonomic and phylogenetic study of the related sections Luzuliformes Kük. (1950:183) and Tenues Kük. (1950:186), we revised specimens in the herbaria of the New York Botanical Garden (NY) and the United States National Herbarium (US). We found specimens of two new species from the states of Santa Catarina and Paraná in southern Brazil and sought additional specimens of these species in the principal herbaria of southern Brazil (FLOR, HBR, ICN, MBM). These two species clearly belong to sections Tenues and Luzuliformes, which were last revised by Rocha and Luceño (2002) and Silva Filho et al. (2017). Both species are here described, compared to related species (Table 1), and illustrated (Figures 1 and 2).

Since the Monocots II meeting in 1998, significant new data have been published that enhance our systematic knowledge of Cyperaceae. Phylogenetic studies in the family have also progressed steadily. For this study, a parsimony analysis was carried out using all rbcL sequences currently available for Cyperaceae, including data for two new genera. One of the four subfamilies (Caricoideae) and seven of the 14 tribes (Bisboeckelereae, Cariceae, Cryptangieae, Dulichieae, Eleocharideae, Sclerieae, Trilepideae) are monophyletic. Subfamily Mapanioideae and tribe Chrysitricheae are monophyletic if, as the evidence suggests, Hellmuthia is considered a member of Cypereae. Some other features of our analysis include: well-supported Trilepideae and Sclerieae-Bisboeckelereae clades; a possible close relationship between Cryptangieae and Schoeneae; polyphyletic tribes Schoeneae and Scirpeae; the occurrence of Cariceae within the Dulichieae-Scirpeae clade, and a strongly supported clade, representing Cyperus and allied genera in Cypereae, sister to a poorly supported Ficinia-Hellmuthia-Isolepis-Scirpoides clade. Such patterns are consistent with other studies based on DNA sequence data. One outcome may be that only two subfamilies, Mapanioideae and Cyperoideae, are recognized. Much further work is needed, with efforts carefully coordinated among researchers. The work should focus on obtaining morphological and molecular data for all genera in the family.

(Hypolytrum (Cyperaceae): taxonomic and nomenclatural notes, geographical distribution and conservation status of Neotropical species.) Hypolytrum (Mapanioideae) is a medium-size and Pantropical genus of Cyperaceae, closely related to Mapania, Principina, and Scirpodendron. In the Neotropics, it is found from southern Mexico to southern Brazil where it grows in the Atlantic and Amazon Forests and Cerrado vegetation. Most of the species are found in the humid and shady understory of forested habitats. Twenty-nine species are confirmed, nine of which are considered narrow-endemics and one is poorly known. Twelve species are classified under the conservation status of Critically Endangered or Vulnerable. A total of 130 types (holo- types, isotypes, lectotypes and isolectotypes) and 42 photos of types were checked and confirmed, and 22 synonyms were verified and accepted. Information about geographic distribution including new occurrences, habitat and diagnostic characters are also provided.

Pleurostachys Brongn. is a Neotropical genus of Cyperaceae closely related to Rhynchospora Vahl. It is found in the Atlantic and Amazon Forests from northern South America to southern Brazil and most of the species grow in the humid and shady understory. Fourteen species are confirmed, 11 of them are endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and six are considered under the conservation status of Vulnerable. New synonyms and lectotypes are also indicated.

Fil: Do Nascimento Prata, Ana Paula. Universidade Federal de Alagoas. Centro de Ciências Agrária; Brazil. Fil: López, María Gabriela. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; Argentina. Fil: Thomas, William Wayt. The New York Botanical Garden; Estados Unidos. During the revision of the genus Bulbostylis for Brazil four new species were found, which are proposed here. Bulbosty lis amazonica, B. decidua, B. minensis and B. wanderleyana are fully described, illustrated, and compared to other South American species Quatro novas espécies de Bulbostylis foram descobertas durante a revisão deste gênero para o Brasil e estão sendo propostas neste trabalho: Bulbostylis amazonica, B. decidua, B. minensis e B. wanderleyana. Todas as espécies são descritas e ilustra das. Além disso, comparação com outras espécies sul americanas é feita.

Two species of Scleria section Hypoporum from the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, are described, illustrated, mapped, and compared to two similar species, S. virgata and S. variegata. While most species of sect. Hypoporum are small and narrow-leaved, these two species are robust.

(Micromorfologia da superfície do aquênio em Bulbostylis Kunth (Cyperaceae)) Bulbostylis possui aproximadamente 150 espécies, distribuídas nas regiões tropicais e subtropicais de ambos os hemisférios. Caracteres morfológicos da superfície do aquênio, em microscopia eletrônica de varredura, foram utilizados para diferenciar 38 das 45 espécies de Bulbostylis Kunth (Cyperaceae) ocorrentes no Brasil, permitindo o reconhecimento de três padrões de ornamentação da superfície do aquênio: tuberculado, reticulado e transversalmente rugoso. Além destes, outros caracteres de interesse taxonômico foram observados, tais como a variação na escultura primária do aquênio, a ornamentação das paredes anticlinais, a presença ou ausência de corpos silicosos e o contorno das células epidérmicas. _________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT: Bulbostylis comprises approximately 150 species distributed in the tropics and subtropics of both hemispheres. The morphology of the achene surface, using scanning electron microscopy, was used to differentiate 38 species of Bulbostylis Kunth (Cyperaceae) and revealed the presence of three patterns of ornamentation on the achene surface: tuberculate, reticulate, and transversely rugose. Other characters of taxonomic interest were also observed, including the primary sculpturing, the ornamentation of the anticlinal cell walls of the epidermis, the presence or absence of silica bodies, and the shape of the epidermal cells.

Lectotypes for the names Hypolytrum amplum Poepp. & Kunth, H. laxum Kunth, H. macrophyllum Boeck., H. selloianum Boeck., H. strictum Poepp. & Kunth, H. sylvaticum Poepp. & Kunth, and Scirpus pulcher Rudge are designated.