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.

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Floras are still important for modern biodiversity studies, as they generate basic information, as well as improve understanding on the diversity of an area. This study aimed to the taxonomic study of the species of Chamaecrista from the Diamantina Plateau in Minas Gerais, Brazil, discussing morphological characteristics of the species and presenting taxonomic novelties. The work was based on the survey of herbaria collections, literature review and field expeditions. Descriptions, an identification key, illustrations of diagnostic features, photographic plates, and commentaries are presented for the 64 species of Chamaecrista from the Diamantina Plateau. Six new species are described, two lectotypifications (C. aurivilla and C. brachystachya) and one neotypification are made (C. echinocarpa), 11 new synonyms and taxonomic changes are proposed for C. astrochiton, C. claussenii, C. echinocarpa, C. exsudans, C. multipennis, and C. orbiculata. Chamaecrista sect. Xerocalyx is treated as a species complex with four taxa although more studies are needed to better understand this group.

Resumo O gênero Chamaecrista possui distribuição pantropical e está bem representado na flora brasileira, principalmente em campos rupestres e matas ciliares. No Brasil são encontradas 256 espécies, sendo que 149 delas aparecem somente em Minas Gerais, o que corresponde mais da metade da diversidade do gênero no país. A área selecionada para o estudo, o Parque Estadual do Rio Preto (PERP), pertence à Cadeia do Espinhaço. A vegetação é composta principalmente por fitofisionomias de Cerrado e Campo rupestre existindo também áreas de matas ciliares e de galerias. O estudo em questão teve como objetivo realizar o levantamento florístico e um estudo taxonômico de Chamaecrista no PERP, abrangendo chave de identificação das espécies e descrições taxonômicas das mesmas. As coletas foram realizadas dentro de um período de dois anos, por meio de caminhadas assistemáticas. O material coletado foi identificado e depositado na coleção do Herbário OUPR. Foram coletados e descritos 19 táxons que compreendem às seções Absus, Chamaecrista e Xerocalyx.

Small forest fragments are recognized as relevant for the preservation of the São Paulo State Semideciduous Seasonal Forest. Our research presents an updated checklist of the vascular flora of the small fragment of legally protected forest, located in the São Paulo State countryside, known as Ibicatu Ecological Station, with the main goal of discussing its importance for local and regional biodiversity conservation. We used the walking method, for a qualitative floristic survey, and botanical material was collected in reproductive and vegetative state. We sampled 187 species typical of the semideciduous seasonal forest, distributed in different eight life forms, with predominance of non-woody life forms, especially herbs and epiphytes. We identified 11 endangered species, including Peperomia hydrocotyloides, considered extinct from the São Paulo State, and some exotic and invasive species. We consider that this small forest fragment present rich vascular flora typical of the São Paulo countryside, in different life forms, and it is essential for local and regional biodiversity. This study added 102 species to the previously published checklist, emphasizing the importance of floristic surveys that include all life forms.

During a floristic study of Chamaecrista in Diamantina plateau, Minas Gerais state, a new species was discovered. Chamaecrista petiolata is here described, illustrated, and compared to its putative closest relative species, C. catapodia and C. monticola. These species are shrubs, the stem-axis exceeding 1.5 m, and show sessile leaves, whereas C. petiolata is a subshrub up to 40 cm alt., with short petiolate leaves. The new species belongs to subsection Absus, which is characterized by glandular trichomes and lack of extrafloral nectaries.

Abstract— Chamaecrista is one of the largest genera of Leguminosae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae. Traditionally, it has been divided into six sections, of which Chamaecrista sect. Absus is the largest, with 31 series. Chamaecrista sect. Absus ser. Setosae comprises nine species. Chamaecrista setosa is the most widely distributed species, comprising four varieties, distinguished by the type and distribution of glandular trichomes, and the leaflet venation. Given the importance of leaflet venation in the delimitation of the taxa, here we performed a study of leaflet architecture of all species of the series and a more detailed morphological study for the Chamaecrista setosa complex. For the study of leaf architecture, 2D images of the leaflets were made using the Faxitron x-ray technique. The morphological studies were based on herbarium specimens. We present the details of the leaflet architecture for the species of Chamaecrista sect. Absus ser. Setosae, and we propose nomenclatural changes for a variety of Chamaecrista setosa and some corrections to typifications. During our studies we also found a new species, Chamaecrista forzzae, which is morphologically similar to Chamaecrista setosa and Chamaecrista multiseta. It is here described and illustrated.

Abstract— Plants from Brazilian campos rupestres usually present morphological strategies that allow them to survive in extreme environments. However, in Chamaecrista (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae), one of the most diverse genera in the campos rupestres, needle-like leaflets are rare. Reviewing the species that present such leaf morphology, we describe Chamaecrista acicularis, a new species from the Canastra Range, in the southwestern region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that C. acicularis is not closely related to other quite similar needle-like leafleted species and that this trait evolved convergently. We also present comments on the phylogenetic relationships of needle-like leafleted species as well as the evolution of the leaflet amplitude, and a detailed description of C. acicularis alongside illustrations, photos, geographical distribution, a key to the needle-like leafleted species and taxonomic notes on similar species. Additionally, we expand the description of Chamaecrista strictifolia and present an informal conservation status for all needle-like leafleted species.