RESUMO(Florística e caracterização dos campos rupestres sobre canga na Serra da Calçada, Minas Gerais, Brasil) Os campos rupestres sobre canga são um ambiente peculiar e freqüente na região do Quadrilátrero Ferrífero, Minas Gerais. Sua vegetação, associada a afloramentos hematíticos, apresenta uma série de adaptações morfológicas e fiosiológicas, assim como alto grau de endemismo. ABSTRACT(Floristics and characterization of the ferrugineous rocky grasslands at Serra da Calçada, Minas Gerais state, Brazil) Ferrugineous rocky grasslands are a peculiar environment frequently found at the "Quadrilátero Ferrifero" region, Minas Gerais State. The vegetation, associated to hematitic outcrops, presents physiological and morphological adaptations, as well as high levels of endemism. A floristic survey, restricted to phanerogames, and a descriptive characterization of the ferrugineous rocky grasslands of Serra da Calçada are presented. Studies of specimens collected from July 2001 and August 2002 were complemented by exame of collections deposited at BHCB Herbarium. A total of 358 species distributed in 70 families were registred. The richest families were Poaceae (43 spp.), Asteraceae (42 spp.), Fabaceae and Myrtaceae (21 spp. each), Melastomataceae and Orchidaceae (18 spp. each). Most of the species (210 spp.) occur on grassy fields (or "canga nodular"), while 153 occur on rocky fields (or "canga couraçada"), 93 on forest islands and 47 on anthropized areas. Ferrugineus grasslands is under threatened due to mining exploration and urban development, therefore urgent conservation measures are essential to protect threatened plant species.

Analysis of 105 scats of the maned wolf (Chrysocyon bruchyurus) collected in central Brazil yielded 304 occurrences of food items of which fruits of Solunum lycocarpum, rodents, and birds accounted for 61.5%. By analysis of minimum number of individual animals, rodents and birds were 75% of a total of 156 prey. On the other hand, fruits of S. lycocarpum and armadillos (Dasypus spp.) were the bulk of the total estimated biomass consumption, yielding 63.7% in a total of 73.5 kg. Rodents were mostly captured during the dry season, while miscellaneous fruits were consumed mostly in the wet season. The consumption of S. Iycocarpum fruits and armadillos was aseasonal. Small rodents were taken in about the ranks of abundance in the study area, but S. Iycocarpum fruits were actively searched by maned wolves, for its occurrence is limited to secondary savanna. Prey and fruits typical of savanna ('cerrado') and grassland ('campo') were the bulk of species, occurrences, prey numbers, and biomass consumed. These findings reinforce the importance of conservation of cerrado and campo in central Brazil. Despite maned wolf being a vulnerable species, its feeding habits are opportunistic, and the main reasons for its decline are likely to be habitat destruction and human disturbance.

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Aims:  To evaluate the antiviral activity of Bignoniaceae species occurring in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods and Results:  Ethanol extracts of different anatomical parts of bignoniaceous plant species have been evaluated in vitro against human herpesvirus type 1 (HSV‐1), vaccinia virus (VACV) and murine encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) by the 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. A total of 34 extracts from 18 plant species selected according to ethnopharmacological and taxonomic criteria were screened. Fifteen of the 34 extracts (44·1%) have disclosed antiviral activity against one or more of the viruses assayed with EC50 values in the range of 23·2 ± 2·5–422·7 ± 10·9 μg ml−1. Conclusions:  Twelve of the 34 extracts (35·3%) might be considered promising sources of antiviral natural products, as they have shown EC50 ≤ 100 μg ml−1. The present screening discloses the high potential of the Bignoniaceae family as source of antiviral agents. Significance and Impact of the Study:  Active extracts were identified and deserve bioguided studies for the isolation of antiviral compounds and studies on mechanism of action.

RESUMO:O presente trabalho teve por objetivo a análise comparativa dos óleos voláteis de espécies da família Piperaceae. As espécies estudadas foram as seguintes: Piper aduncum, P. amalago, P. arboreum, P. cernuum, P. hispidum, P. regnelii, P. submarginalum, P. vicosanum e Pothomorphe umbellata. A análise dos óleos voláteis foi efetuada pela combinação de técnicas de Cromatografi a de Fase Gasosa (CG) e de Cromatografi a de Fase Gasosa acoplada a Espectrometria de Massa (CG/EM). A porcentagem de identifi cação dos constituintes nas análises dos óleos voláteis de Piper aduncum, P. amalago, P. vicosanum, P. submarginalum e Pothomorphe umbellata, atingiu valores superiores a 80%. Houve predominância de compostos de natureza sesquiterpênica nas composições químicas das espécies analisadas, com exceção de P. hispidum, P. submarginalum e P. vicosanum onde a predominância na composição foi de monoterpenos. Pelos dados apresentados observou-se que, dentre os compostos majoritários, os mais freqüentes, nas 9 espécies estudadas, foram β-pineno (9/9) e espatulenol (9/9), seguidos por E-cariofi leno (8/9), óxido de cariofi leno (8/9), germacreno D (7/9), α-pineno (7/9) e limoneno (6/9). Pela primeira vez se relata a composição dos óleos voláteis de P. submarginalum e P vicosanum.Unitermos: Piperaceae, óleos voláteis, terpenos.ABSTRACT: "Comparative study of the essential oils of some species of Piperaceae". Essential oils from various vegetal species of the Piperaceae family were analysed by Capillary Gas Chromatography (GC) and Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). The investigated species were: Piper aduncum, P. amalago, P. arboreum, P. cernuum, P. hispidum, P. regnelii, P. submarginalum, P. vicosanum and Pothomorphe umbellata. Over 80% of the essential oils compounds were identifi ed by the qualitative and quantitative analysis. The analysed species showed the predominance of sesquiterpenoids, except for P. hispidum, P. submarginalum and P. vicosanum in which the predominant compounds were monoterpenoids. For the 9 studied species, the major compounds found in the oils were β-pinene (9/9) and spathulenol (9/9), followed by the E-caryophyllene (8/9), caryophyllene oxide (8/9), germacrene D (7/9), α-pinene (7/9) and limonene (6/9).

Ethanol extracts of Clytostoma ramentaceum Bur. & K. Schum and Mansoa hirsuta DC. (Bignoniaceae) inhibited the growth of standardized cultures of Aspergillus niger and Fusarium oxysporum, at concentrations of 400 microg and 500 microg, in bioautographic assays. The activity-guided fractionation of C. ramentaceum extract afforded ursolic acid and 2-(3',4'-dihydroxyphenyl) ethanol, both active against the test fungi (100 microg). These compounds are reported for the first time in C. ramentaceum and were not detected in M. hirsuta extract, according to HPLC analysis. The bioguided study of M. hirsuta resulted in five active fractions (100 to 200 microg), whose GC-MS analysis allowed us to identify 11 compounds, mostly alkanols and alkanodiols, that may be regarded as the antifungal constituents of M. hirsuta.

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-(Floristic composition of two remnants of Atlantic forest in the Southeastern Minas Gerais State, Brazil). This study have revised collections deposited in the BHCB Herbarium from two Atlantic forest fragments in Minas Gerais State, the Biological Station of Caratinga (EBC), in the municipality of Caratinga, and the State Park of Rio Doce (PERD), among the municipalities of Marliéria, Timóteo and Dionísio. 3366 samples of 1048 species were found, grouped in 538 genera and 123 families. In the EBC there are 513 species not occurring in PERD, where there are 242 species not occurring in EBC; 293 species are common to the two areas, with a similarity coefficient of 64%. The five families with highest number of species were Leguminosae (125), Rubiaceae (69), Asteraceae (51), Bignoniaceae (49), and Myrtaceae (39). The number of species from these fragments of Atlantic forest is higher to other recorded numbers from surveys from other Atlantic forests or the Amazonian basin.RESUMO -(Composição florística de dois remanescentes de Mata Atlântica do sudeste de Minas Gerais, Brasil). Este estudo revisou as exsicatas depositadas no Herbário BHCB coletadas em dois fragmentos de Mata Atlântica de interior no Estado de Minas Gerais, Estação Biológica de Caratinga (EBC), município de Caratinga e Parque Estadual do Rio Doce (PERD), nos municípios de Marliéria, Timóteo e Dionísio. Foram encontradas 3366 exsicatas de 1048 espécies, agrupadas em 538 gêneros e 123 famílias. Na EBC há 513 espécies que não ocorrem no PERD, onde há 242 espécies que não ocorrem na EBC; 293 espécies ocorrem em ambas as áreas, com um coeficiente de similaridade de 64%. As cinco famílias com maior número de espécies foram Leguminosae (125), Rubiaceae (69), Asteraceae (51), Bignoniaceae (49) e Myrtaceae (39). A riqueza em espécies destes remanescentes de Mata Atlântica é superior às obtidas em estudos tanto em outras áreas da Mata Atlântica quanto na região amazônica.