Lippia sidoides Cham. is a plant that belongs to the family Verbenaceae and is commonly known as “alecrim-pimenta”. It was first found in northeastern Brazil, where it is extensively used in traditional medicine. Many studies have been made with the essential oil of L. sidoides, which has a high content of the isomeric compounds thymol and carvacrol. L. sidoides extracts, and particularly the essential oil extracted from its aerial parts, have shown many biological activities such as antifungal, antibacterial, and insecticidal. Given the great biological potentialities of L. sidoides and the amount of recent studies about this plant, the present study aimed to make a survey of its general attributes, cultivation methods, chemical characterization of its extracts and essential oil, as well as its different biological activities.

RESUMO: O potencial alelopático de quatro diferentes extratos de plantas medicinais (Eclipta alba, Gomphrena globosa, Tabernaemontana catharinensis e Tithonia diversifolia) foi avaliado na germinação de Bidens pilosa e Lactuca sativa. Dentre os resultados obtidos no teste de germinação, notou-se um maior poder inibitório do extrato de G. globosa sobre sementes e plântulas de Bidens pilosa e Lactuca sativa independente da concentração utilizada e aumento da atividade inibitória de extratos T. catharinensis e de T. diversifolia com aumento da concentração destes. Quanto ao Índice de Velocidade de Germinação, os dados demonstraram redução do índice devido a elevada mortalidade das plântulas submetidas aos extratos de G. globosa e de T. catharinensis e a germinação tardia das sementes submetidas ao extrato de T. diversifolia. Quanto ao vigor das sementes, as menores porcentagens de sobrevivência ocorreram extratos à 2,5% para B. pilosa e 10% para L. sativa. Palavras-chave: alelopatia, Eclipta alba, Gomphrena globosa, Tabernaemontana catharinensis, Tithonia diversifolia ABSTRACT: Allelopathic activity of aqueous extracts of medicinal plants on the germination of Lactuca sativa L. and Bidens pilosa L. The allelopathic potential of four different extracts of medicinal plants (Eclipta alba, Gomphrena globosa, Tabernaemontana catharinensisand Tithonia diversifolia) was evaluated on the germination of Bidens pilosa and Lactuca sativa. The results obtained in the germination test indicated a greater inhibitory activity of G. globosa extract on Bidens pilosa and Lactuca sativa seeds and seedlings, regardlessof the used concentration, and an increase in the inhibitory activity of T. catharinensis and T. diversifolia extracts with an increase in their concentrations. As to Germination Speed Index, the data demonstrated a reduction due to the high mortality of seedlings subjected to G. globosa and T. catharinensis extracts and a late germination of seeds subjected to T. diversifolia extracts. As to the vigor of seeds, the smallest survival percentages occur at 2.5% for B. pilosa and at 10% for L.sativa.

We present a taxonomic treatment of the Malvaceae from Serra do Lenheiro, a montane range in the municipality of São João del-Rei, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in order to contribute to the knowledge of this family and the state’s flora. Eleven genera and twenty-nine species were recorded. Sida, Pavonia and Peltaea are the richest genera. Among the recorded species, nine are considered as ruderal and ten are endemic of Brazil. Three species have São João del-Rei as the type-locality. Analytic keys, morphological descriptions, photographic plates and comments about the treated species are presented. Illustrations are presented for two species: one has no iconography in Brazilian studies for Malvaceae (Sida plumosa) and one has only poor iconographic representations (Sida viarum).

Nós apresentamos o tratamento taxonômico para a família Orobanchaceae da Serra de São José e da Serra do Lenheiro, no Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Seis espécies e quatro gêneros foram registrados. Chave de identificação, descrições morfológicas, fotos e comentários sobre a distribuição geográfica, ecologia e taxonomia das espécies são apresentados.

We present a taxonomic treatment for Malpighiaceae from the Lenheiro Mountain Range, São João del-Rei, Minas Gerais, Brazil, where a total of 23 species and nine genera were recorded. Identification keys for all genera and species are presented, along with morphological descriptions, photo plates, and comments on distribution, ecology and taxonomy of the studied species.

We present a floristic survey for Byrsonima (Malpighiaceae) from Espírito Santo state, Brazil. Of the 17 species occurring in Espírito Santo, one is recorded for the first time for the state (B. intermedia). In addition, three species were considered vulnerable or near threatened (B. alvimii, B. bahiana and B. cacaophila). Identification key for all species was presented, along with morphological descriptions, photograph plates, distribution maps, and ecological notes of the studied species.