Within Apocynaceae, interactions with pollinators are highly structured both phylogenetically and biogeographically. Variation in transition rates between pollination systems suggest constraints on their evolution, whereas regional differences point to environmental effects such as filtering of certain pollinators from habitats. This is the most extensive analysis of its type so far attempted and gives important insights into the diversity and evolution of pollination systems in large clades.

(Biologia floral de cinco espécies de Passiflora L. (Passifloraceae) em mata semidecídua). O estudo da biologia floral de cinco espécies de Passiflora foi feito em uma mata de planalto em Campinas, São Paulo. Passiflora alata, P. amethystina e P. miersii apresentam flores de cor púrpura a violeta e corona variegada. As flores são diurnas, perfumadas, autoincompatíveis e polinizadas por abelhas de grande porte. Passiflora amethystina e P. miersii diferem de P. alata por apresentarem filamentos livres no opérculo, que em P. alata é horizontal e denticulado. Estas diferenças no opérculo promovem comportamentos característicos das abelhas durante as visitas. Passiflora suberosa possui flores verde-amareladas e opérculo plicado. As flores são diurnas, inodoras, autocompatíveis e polinizadas por vespas. Em P. capsularis as flores são brancas e o opérculo é plicado. As flores são noturnas, perfumadas, autocompatíveis e possivelmente polinizadas por mariposas. O opérculo plicado das duas últimas espécies permite que os visitantes tenham fácil acesso ao néctar.
(Floral biology of five species of Passiflora L. (Passifloraceae)in a semideciduous forest). A comparative study of floral biology of five Passiflora species was carried out in the region of Campinas, São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. Passiflora alata, P. amethystina and P. miersii have purple to violet flowers and variegated filamentose corona. Their flowers open early in the morning and last about 12 hours, emit sweet odour, are allogamous and their main pollinators are large bees. Passiflora amethystina and P. miersii have similar floral morphology, differing from P. alata by a row of free filaments on the edge of the operculum. The operculum in P. alata is horizontally curved and denticulate at the margin. These differences in the operculum require a characterist behaviour from bees during their visits. Passiflora suberosa has green-yellowish flowers and a plicate operculum. Its flowers open at dawn and no odour is perceptible. The flowers are self-compatible and their main pollinators are wasps. Passiflora capsularis has white flowers and a plicate operculum. Its flowers are nocturnal, emit sweet odour, are self-compatible and possibly are pollinated by moths. The plicate operculum of these two latter species allows easy access to nectar by the visitors

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.

With the recent taxonomic review of Chaetostoma DC., it was found that six species did not present the set of diagnostic features established to delimit the genus. Chaetostoma is characterized by sessile, keeled to subkeeled, overlapping, acute leaves and a trichome crown on the external apex of the length of the hypanthium. Three species of Chaetostoma are transferred to Microlicia D. Don: M. acuminata Naudin (C. acuminatum (Naudin) Cogniaux), M. castrata Naudin (C. castratum (Naudin) Cogniaux), and M. oxyanthera Naudin (C. oxyantherum (Naudin) Triana). Two new names are also proposed: M. baumgratziana A. B. Martins & Koschnitzke (C. gardneri Triana) and M. semiriana Koschnitzke & A. B. Martins (C. luetzelburgii Markgraf). The new combination M. parvula (Markgraf) Koschnitzke & A. B. Martins (C. parvulum Markgraf) is provided. The name M. oxyanthera Naudin is lectotypified herein. RESUMO. A recente revisão taxonômica de Chaetostoma DC. revelou que seis espécies não exibem as características diagnósticas estabelecidas para delimitar o gênero. Chaetostoma é caracterizado por apresentar folhas sésseis, carenadas a subcarenadas, imbricadas, pungentes, e coroa de tricomas no ápice externo do hipanto. Três espécies de Chaetostoma estão sendo transferidas para Microlicia D. Don: M. acuminata Naudin (C. acuminatum (Naudin) Cogniaux), M. castrata Naudin (C. castratum (Naudin) Cogniaux), e M. oxyanthera Naudin (C. oxyantherum (Naudin) Triana). Dois novos nomes estão também sendo propostos: M. baumgratziana A. B. Martins & Koschnitzke (C. gardneri Triana) e M. semiriana Koschnitzke & A. B. Martins (C. luetzelburgii Markgraf). A nova combinação M. parvula (Markgraf) Koschnitzke & A. B. Martins (C. parvulum Markgraf) é fornecida. O nome M. oxyanthera Naudin é aqui lectotipificado.

Temnadenia odorifera is an endemic species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. This study was developed in order to identify the volatile compounds emitted by the living flowers and nectar, to evaluate the temporal pattern of scent emission, and the sugars composition of its nectar. Analyses of the flower scent by dynamic headspace in vivo, of nectar sugar composition and studies on floral biology were performed. Twenty-three volatile compounds were identified in the flowers scent. The total amount of odor emitted by flowers varied significantly throughout anthesis, ranging from 10232.7 ng g-1 (9 to 12 h) to 620.2 ng g-1 (15 to 18 h). 2-Phenylethanol and (E)-cinnamyl alcohol were the major compounds. Concentration ratio between disaccharides and the sum of hexoses ranged from 2.3 to 3.04, which can be correlated to the physiological needs inherent to big bees, the most frequent insects in T. odorifera. Analysis of the chemical composition of T. odorifera flowers provided a broader understanding of the mechanisms responsible for plant-insect interactions.