-(Morphoanatomy of vegetative organs of Smilax polyantha Griseb. (Smilacaceae)). Smilax polyantha Griseb., known as salsaparrilha, is a medicinal plant, occurring in the "cerrado", in the Southeast region in Brazil. The objective of this study was to describe the morphoanatomy of the vegetative organs of Smilax polyantha and to verify whether the characters described in the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia allow to differentiate between salsaparrilha species. Samples of the vegetative organs were prepared following usual techniques using light and scanning electron microscopy. The leaf is hypostomatic and the stomata are paracytic. Mesophyll tends to dorsiventral, as the three parenchyma layers near the adaxial surface are constituted by sinuous cells. Petiole is canaliculated in the adaxial face, and striated in the abaxial face, indicating leaf twist. The stem branch was studied in the aerial and underground portion differing only by the thickening degree of vascular parenchyma cell walls. The rhizophore coat is made by cortical parenchyma; between the cortex and the vascular cylinder there is a secondary thickening meristem; the vascular cylinder has collateral bundles surrounded by parenchyma cells with thick secondary walls. The adventitious radicular system possesses white fresh roots, covered by epidermis, with large cortex, and rigid brown roots, covered by the sclerenchymatous cells of inner cortex, because the epidermis and outer cortex are eliminated along the development. The S. polyantha root analysis had shown that the parameters described in the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia, which are based on the way the roots are tied in bundles, the diameter, and colour of the roots, are insufficient to differentiate the Smilax species.Key words -anatomy, leaf, root, salsaparrilha, underground stem RESUMO -(Morfoanatomia dos órgãos vegetativos de Smilax polyantha Griseb. (Smilacaceae)). Smilax polyantha Griseb., conhecida como salsaparrilha, é uma espécie reconhecida como medicinal, encontrada em áreas de cerrado, especialmente na região Sudeste. O objetivo desse estudo foi descrever a morfoanatomia dos órgãos vegetativos de Smilax polyantha e verificar se os caracteres descritos na Farmacopéia Brasileira de fato permitem diferenciar esta das demais espécies denominadas salsaparrilha. Amostras dos órgãos vegetativos foram preparadas segundo técnicas usuais em microscopia de luz e eletrônica de varredura. A folha é hipoestomática e os estômatos são paracíticos. O mesofilo tende a dorsiventral, pois o parênquima adaxial é constituído por células com sinuosidades pronunciadas. O pecíolo é canaliculado, sulcado na porção abaxial, indicando torção foliar. O ramo caulinar foi estudado na porção aérea e subterrânea diferindo apenas pelo espessamento da parede das células do parênquima vascular. O rizóforo é revestido pelo córtex; entre o córtex e o cilindro vascular há o meristema de espessamento secundário; o cilindro vascular é constituído de feixes colaterais cercados por células parenquimáticas com espessamento parieta...

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Fire plays an important role in several grassland ecosystems in the world. Fire can trigger germination in several species, by breaking the physical dormancy of their seeds. Thus, we hypothesized that exposure to high temperatures during fire would break seed dormancy and enhance germination. We tested the effect of high temperatures on the germination of six species of legumes from Brazilian subtropical grasslands. We used heat shock experiments with the following treatments: 60, 90, 120 and 150ºC for one minute. Seeds were then placed to germinate for 60 days in 12/12 hours light/dark and 20/30ºC. Germination was generally low for all study species. Most species was not affected by heat shock treatments. However, Stylosanthes montevidensis was the only species that had its physical dormancy broken when exposed to 120ºC. The seeds of all the other species were neither stimulated nor killed by high temperatures. Although the exposure to high temperatures did not affect the germination of the study species (except for one), it also did not kill seeds, thereby showing that seeds are resistant to fire. Therefore, the rapid passage of fire in these grasslands is not sufficient to break the dormancy of most of the studied species of legumes.

• Premise of the study: A new set of microsatellite or simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were developed for Smilax brasiliensis, which is popularly known as sarsaparilla and used in folk medicine as a tonic, antirheumatic, and antisyphilitic. Smilax brasiliensis is sold in Brazilian pharmacies, and its origin and effectiveness are not subject to quality control.• Methods and Results: Using a protocol for genomic library enrichment, primer pairs were developed for 26 microsatellite loci and validated in 17 accessions of S. brasiliensis. Thirteen loci were polymorphic and four were monomorphic. The primers successfully amplified alleles in the congeners S. campestris, S. cissoides, S. fluminensis, S. goyazana, S. polyantha, S. quinquenervia, S. rufescens, S. subsessiliflora, and S. syphilitica.• Conclusions: The new SSR markers described herein are informative tools for genetic diversity and gene flow studies in S. brasiliensis and several congeners.