With contributions by: Abreu, Maria C.; Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro; Agra, Maria F.; Almeida Jr., Eduardo B.; Almeida, Gracineide S.S.; Almeida, Rafael F.; Alves, Flávio M.; Alves, Marccus; Alves-Araujo, Anderson; Amaral, Maria C.E.; Amorim, André M.; Amorim, Bruno; Andrade, Ivanilza M.; Andreata, Regina H.P.; Andrino, Caroline O.; Anunciação, Elisete A.; Aona, Lidyanne Y.S.; Aranguren, Yani; Aranha Filho, João L.M.; Araújo, Andrea O.; Araújo, Ariclenes A.M.; Araújo, Diogo; Arbo, María M.; Assis, Leandro; Assis, Marta C.; Assunção, Vivian A.; Athiê-Souza, Sarah M.; Azevedo, Cecilia O.; Baitello, João B.; Barberena, Felipe F.V.A.; Barbosa, Maria R.V.; Barros, Fábio; Barros, Lucas A.V.; Barros, Michel J.F.; Baumgratz, José F.A.; Bernacci, Luis C.; Berry, Paul E.; Bigio, Narcísio C.; Biral, Leonardo; Bittrich, Volker; Borges, Rafael A.X.; Bortoluzzi, Roseli L.C.; Bove, Cláudia P.; Bovini, Massimo G.; Braga, João M.A.; Braz, Denise M.; Bringel Jr., João B.A.; Bruniera, Carla P.; Buturi, Camila V.; Cabral, Elza; Cabral, Fernanda N.; Caddah, Mayara K.; Caires, Claudenir S.; Calazans, Luana S.B.; Calió, Maria F.; Camargo, Rodrigo A.; Campbell, Lisa; Canto-Dorow, Thais S.; Carauta, Jorge P.P. †; Cardiel, José M.; Cardoso, Domingos B.O.S.; Cardoso, Leandro J.T.; Carneiro, Camila R.; Carneiro, Cláudia E.; Carneiro-Torres, Daniela S.; Carrijo, Tatiana T.; Caruzo, Maria B.R.; Carvalho, Maria L.S.; Carvalho-Silva, Micheline; Castello, Ana C.D.; Cavalheiro, Larissa; Cervi, Armando C. †; Chacon, Roberta G.; Chautems, Alain; Chiavegatto, Berenice; Chukr, Nádia S.; Coelho, Alexa A.O.P.; Coelho, Marcus A.N.; Coelho, Rubens L.G.; Cordeiro, Inês; Cordula, Elizabeth; Cornejo, Xavier; Côrtes, Ana L.A.; Costa, Andrea F.; Costa, Fabiane N.; Costa, Jorge A.S.; Costa, Leila C.; Costa-e-Silva, Maria B.; Costa-Lima, James L.; Cota, Maria R.C.; Couto, Ricardo S.; Daly, Douglas C.; De Stefano, Rodrigo D.; De Toni, Karen; Dematteis, Massimiliano; Dettke, Greta A.; Di Maio, Fernando R.; Dórea, Marcos C.; Duarte, Marília C.; Dutilh, Julie H.A.; Dutra, Valquíria F.; Echternacht, Lívia; Eggers, Lilian; Esteves, Gerleni; Ezcurra, Cecilia; Falcão Junior, Marcus J.A.; Feres, Fabíola; Fernandes, José M.; Ferreira, D.M.C.; Ferreira, Fabrício M.; Ferreira, Gabriel E.; Ferreira, Priscila P.A.; Ferreira, Silvana C.; Ferrucci, Maria S.; Fiaschi, Pedro; Filgueiras, Tarciso S.; Firens, Marcela; Flores, Andreia S.; Forero, Enrique; Forster, Wellington; Fortuna-Perez, Ana P.; Fortunato, Reneé H.; Fraga, Cláudio N.; França, Flávio; Francener, Augusto; Freitas, Joelcio; Freitas, Maria F.; Fritsch, Peter W.; Furtado, Samyra G.; Gaglioti, André L.; Garcia, Flávia C.P.; Germano Filho, Pedro; Giacomin, Leandro; Gil, André S.B.; Giulietti, Ana M.; Godoy, Silvana A.P. ; Goldenberg, Renato; Gomes da Costa, Géssica A.; Gomes, Mário; Gomes-Klein, Vera L.; Gonçalves, Eduardo Gomes; Graham, Shirley; Groppo, Milton; Guedes. Juliana S.; Guimarães, Leonardo R.S.; Guimarães, Paulo J.F.; Guimarães, Elsie F.; Gutierrez, Raul; Harley, Raymond; Hassemer, Gus...

No abstract

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data.

The shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora.

Mikania fasciculata C.T. Oliveira & Pirani, a new erect species of this mostly vining genus, is described and illustrated. Mikania fasciculata is a subshrub known from the Serra da Canastra and surrounding areas in Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. It is closely related to M. thapsoides DC. but differs from it by the leaves narrowly elliptic, glabrous, with narrowly cuneate to cuneate base (vs. leaves deltoid, pilose on the abaxial surface, with attenuate to hastate base).

Resumo Dentre os gêneros de Asteraceae destaca-se Mikania que compreende ca. 450 espécies de distribuição principalmente neotropical. Mikania é considerado monofilético e pode ser facilmente reconhecido pelos capítulos com quatro flores e quatro brácteas involucrais subentendidos por uma bráctea subinvolucral. Este estudo objetivou realizar o levantamento florístico do gênero Mikania no Ceará, nordeste do Brasil. Foram analisadas amostras dos herbários ALCB, EAC, HCDAL, HUEFS, HVASF, IPA, K, P, NY e R, consultadas bibliografias especializadas e imagens disponíveis nas bases SpeciesLink, JSTOR e Herbário Virtual Reflora, além de coletas obtidas atraves de expedições a campo. Para o Ceará foram listadas oito espécies de Mikania, das quais três são novos registros. Mikania biformis é também nova ocorrência para a Região Nordeste. Mikania elliptica e M. ternata foram coletadas em ambientes de mata úmida; a primeira possuía registros apenas para a Bahia e Minas Gerais, em áreas de Caatinga e Cerrado, e a segunda, para a Bahia e regiões Sudeste e Sul do Brasil nos domínios do Cerrado e Mata Atlântica. As demais espécies (M. congesta, M. cordifolia, M. micrantha, M. psilostachya e M. vitifolia) são amplamente distribuídas no Brasil.

We assembled new plastomes of 19 species of Mikania and of Ageratina fastigiata, Litothamnus nitidus, and Stevia collina, all belonging to tribe Eupatorieae (Asteraceae). We analyzed the structure and content of the assembled plastomes and used the newly generated sequences to infer phylogenetic relationships and study the effects of different data partitions and inference methods on the topologies. Most phylogenetic studies with plastomes ignore that processes like recombination and biparental inheritance can occur in this organelle, using the whole genome as a single locus. Our study sought to compare this approach with multispecies coalescent methods that assume that different parts of the genome evolve at different rates. We found that the overall gene content, structure, and orientation are very conserved in all plastomes of the studied species. As observed in other Asteraceae, the 22 plastomes assembled here contain two nested inversions in the LSC region. The plastomes show similar length and the same gene content. The two most variable regions within Mikania are rpl32-ndhF and rpl16-rps3, while the three genes with the highest percentage of variable sites are ycf1, rpoA, and psbT. We generated six phylogenetic trees using concatenated maximum likelihood and multispecies coalescent methods and three data partitions: coding and non-coding sequences and both combined. All trees strongly support that the sampled Mikania species form a monophyletic group, which is further subdivided into three clades. The internal relationships within each clade are sensitive to the data partitioning and inference methods employed. The trees resulting from concatenated analysis are more similar among each other than to the correspondent tree generated with the same data partition but a different method. The multispecies coalescent analysis indicate a high level of incongruence between species and gene trees. The lack of resolution and congruence among trees can be explained by the sparse sampling (~ 0.45% of the currently accepted species) and by the low number of informative characters present in the sequences. Our study sheds light into the impact of data partitioning and methods over phylogenetic resolution and brings relevant information for the study of Mikania diversity and evolution, as well as for the Asteraceae family as a whole.

A new species, Mikania mellosilvae, from Bahia and Minas Gerais States, is described and illustrated. Until now, herbarium material of this species has been misidentified, as well as in articles referring to the collections, as Mikania candolleana Gardner. The similarities and differences between the two taxa are discussed. Although both species share a lianescent habit, similar leaf shape and inflorescence structure, they differ mainly in the leaf base form, stem indumentum, peduncle and flower measurements and by their geographical distribution, as M. mellosilvae is endemic to the Atlantic Forest domain and M. candolleana is endemic to the Cerrado domain, both in eastern Brazil. We also provide a distribution map for both species, a lectotypification for the name M. candolleana, as well as a detailed description of the new taxon, along with illustrations including habitat pictures, a preliminary conservation assessment and comments on its ecology.