No abstract

Epiphytes are hyper‐diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non‐vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts. Our work presents the first epiphyte data set with information on abundance and occurrence of epiphyte phorophyte species. All data compiled here come from three main sources provided by the authors: published sources (comprising peer‐reviewed articles, books, and theses), unpublished data, and herbarium data. We compiled a data set composed of 2,095 species, from 89,270 holo/hemiepiphyte records, in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, recorded from 1824 to early 2018. Most of the records were from qualitative data (occurrence only, 88%), well distributed throughout the Atlantic Forest. For quantitative records, the most common sampling method was individual trees (71%), followed by plot sampling (19%), and transect sampling (10%). Angiosperms (81%) were the most frequently registered group, and Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae were the families with the greatest number of records (27,272 and 21,945, respectively). Ferns and Lycophytes presented fewer records than Angiosperms, and Polypodiaceae were the most recorded family, and more concentrated in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Data on non‐vascular plants and lichens were scarce, with a few disjunct records concentrated in the Northeastern region of the Atlantic Forest. For all non‐vascular plant records, Lejeuneaceae, a family of liverworts, was the most recorded family. We hope that our effort to organize scattered epiphyte data help advance the knowledge of epiphyte ecology, as well as our understanding of macroecological and biogeographical patterns in the Atlantic Forest. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Ecology Data Paper if the data are used in publication and teaching events.

The Cactaceae are known to be amongst the most endangered plant families of the world due to reduction of their habitats and activities of collectors. As the species of the family are dependent on animals to perform cross pollination, and hence seed production, their population performance may be further negatively affected by interrupted biotic interactions. For efficient conservation of rare species, knowledge on reproductive biology and pollinators is of prime importance. In our study we focused on Uebelmannia buiningii Donald, a microendemic cactus from the Serra Negra State Park, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. During four field expeditions to three localities of the species between September 2012 and September 2013, we measured flowers, detected nectar-guides and osmophores and performed pollen viability tests. We studied the reproductive system of the species using manual self-and cross-pollination tests and observed pollinators. Our results revealed that the flowering period takes place during the dry season, between April and October, and that the diurnal flowers open between 7:00 a.m. and 5 p.m. The flowers are shortly tubular with yellow perianth-segments. We found neither nectar nor nectar-guides, and osmophores appeared as glands within the flower tube. Whereas pollen viability was 90.25%, manual crosspollination tests have shown cross-pollination with gametophytic incompatibility. We observed two bee species visiting the flowers and acting as effective pollinators: Dialictus opacus and Plebeia sp. The combination of low reproductive activity with gametophytic incompatibility, together with the reduced number of individuals in a population and low number of populations, makes the endemic cactus U. buiningii a critically endangered species.

Three new species of Angiosperms have been found in four short collection trips to the same protected reserve—“Estação Ecológica Estadual de Wenceslau Guimarães”—and neighboring areas in the Atlantic Forest in the south of the Brazilian state of Bahia. These new species belong to three genera from three distinct lineages in the family Melastomataceae: Huberia, Meriania and Physeterostemon. The description of these species represent a good example of a Linnean shortfall, i.e., the absence of basic knowledge about the biodiversity in the area, as well as in tropical forests as a whole. The description of these probably endemic species per se is a signal that this area deserves more attention regarding research and policies, but its consequences go farther: this area has a relevant role as a phylogenetic (both genetic and morphological) stock, and thus is also valuable as a phylogenetic conservation priority.

Tillandsia is the bromeliad genus containing the largest number of species, with wide geographic dispersion and an important ecological role in the ecosystems. Investigations of pollen morphology are important to support taxonomic and conservation studies as well as to choose promising species for cross‐pollination to obtain hybrids. The objective of this study was to evaluate the morphology, production, and viability of pollen grains of 24 Tillandsia species that naturally occur in the state of Bahia, Brazil. Pollen grains were acetolized and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The pollen were germinated in vitro in two culture media (BM and BKM) and collected at three floral development stages (pre‐anthesis, anthesis and post‐anthesis). Pollen viability also was analyzed by staining with Alexander's solution and acetocarmine in three floral development stages. Variations in the ornamentation and size of the pollen were observed among the species studied, with the majority having medium size, while T. polystachia and T. juncea had large grains and the subgenera Diaphoranthema and Phytarrhiza had small grains. The pollen of the majority of species had bilateral symmetry, with a single irregularly shaped colpus, semitectate exine and reticulated‐heterobrochate surface. The pollen presented high germination percentage, tube length and viability according to the histochemistry, except for T. recurvata, T. usneoides and T. loliacea. The BKM medium and collection of pollen during anthesis produced the best results for the Tillandsia species. The results can support studies of the taxonomy and conservation of these species, which have great environmental importance and high value for ornamental purposes.

Aquatic and marsh plants are those that have the capacity to withstand a continuous or periodic submersion in water, at least of their roots. Such plants are thus able to occupy environments that are at least periodically waterlogged. The knowledge about this plant group is still rather incomplete for various parts of Brazil including the Northeast. The present study was conducted in Bahia state, through collections in 20 municipalities within the Recôncavo basin between 2009 and 2015. All species were classified across six life forms. We report 316 species in 206 genera and 71 families, including 11 fern species, with helophytes and emergent being the commonest ones. Collection efforts in aquatic environments in the Recôncavo region added nine families of angiosperms to those already reported in previous studies of such plants in Northeastern Brazil. The region presents a wide variety of aquatic and marsh plants and the respective habitats play an important role in the conservation/maintenance of biodiversity and especially of water bodies in Eastern Bahia.

Epiphytism in the Caatinga biome is still poorly studied. In this biome, the licuri palm (Syagrus coronata) is an important phorophyte of several species. In this study, epiphytes were surveyed on licuri palms in order to infer the conservation degree of a Caatinga area. A total of 496 individuals of S. coronata were sampled, in a toposequence in five areas: pasture with licuri (anthropized area), lowland, slope, hilltop and rocky outcrops of an inselberg (conserved areas) and in the community of Jatobá, municipality of Milagres (Bahia, Brazil). Fifty-seven species were identified, encompassing 38 genera and 17 families, growing on licuri palms. The family with the largest number of species was Bromeliaceae (21 species), followed by Orchidaceae, Cactaceae and Polypodiaceae with five species each. In Caatinga vegetation with palm species, the epiphytes on the licuri palm can help the reforestation process, the licuri palm being the key species, where the associated epiphytism demonstrates the dispersion of numerous species. It is a suspended seedlings bank with a nurse plant, where recurring families such as Bromeliaceae, Cactaceae, Orchidaceae, Araceae occur as strategic components in sustainable agroecosystem designs.

resumo -Embora sejam publicados artigos sobre sementes de cactos dos diversos ecossistemas brasileiros há mais de 50 anos, as pesquisas que envolvem o conhecimento acerca da morfologia e fisiologia das sementes e plântulas de Cactaceae são consideradas extremamente recentes no país, pois, durante as quatro primeiras décadas, muito pouco foi publicado sobre essa temática. No Brasil são encontradas 262 espécies de cactos que se distribuem por todo território nacional, porém, até o final da década de 1990, apenas cinco espécies tinham sido estudadas. Dessa forma, o objetivo do presente estudo foi realizar uma revisão bibliográfica para mostrar os avanços nos estudos sobre sementes e plântulas de cactos do Brasil, desde a primeira publicação em 1966 até a presente data. Para atender os objetivos propostos neste estudo, uma extensa revisão bibliográfica foi realizada para a busca de publicações sobre três temas principais: (1) morfologia e anatomia de sementes e plântulas, (2) comportamento germinativo e fatores bióticos e abióticos que afetam a germinação e (3) desenvolvimento inicial e sobrevivência de plântulas de espécies de cactos do Brasil. Nas últimas cinco décadas, 81 artigos sobre esses três temas foram publicados com espécies de cactos que ocorrem no Brasil. Entretanto, a grande maioria desses estudos é recente, sendo que 68% desses artigos foram publicados de 2010 a 2017. O tema mais estudado foi o efeito dos fatores abióticos na germinação das sementes. Apenas 71 espécies foram estudadas até o momento e alguns padrões já podem ser apontados como, por exemplo, o fotoblastismo positivo da subfamília Cactoideae. Finalmente, incentiva-se a realização de mais estudos sobre essas temáticas, principalmente com representantes da família Cactaceae que ocorrem nos ecossistemas com menor número de espécies estudadas, como o Pampa e o Pantanal. pAlAvrAs-chAve: Revisão BiBliogRáfica; cactaceae; MoRfologia; geRMinação; cResciMento inicial. AdvAnces in studies on seeds And seedlings of brAziliAn cActiAbstrAct -Although papers about cacti seeds from different Brazilian ecosystems have been published for more than 50 years, research involving the knowledge about the morphology and physiology of Cactaceae seeds and seedlings is considered extremely recent in the country because during the first four decades, few papers have been published about this topic. In Brazil, 262 species of cacti are found that are distributed throughout the national territory, but until the end of the 1990s, only five species had been studied. Thus, the aim of the present study was to carry out a bibliographic review to show the advances in the studies on seeds and seedlings of cacti from Brazil, from the first publication in 1966 to the present date. In order to accomplish the objectives proposed in this study, an extensive bibliographical review was conducted to search for publications on three main topics: (1) morphology and anatomy of seeds and seedlings, (2) germinative behavior and biotic and abiotic factors affecting seed germination and (3...