Some species are characterized by a high content of tannins, alkaloids, and phenols in their leaves. These secondary metabolites are released during DNA extraction and might hinder molecular studies based on PCR (polymerase chain reaction). To provide an efficient method to extract DNA, Mimosa tenuiflora, an important leguminous plant from Brazilian semiarid region used in popular medicine and as a source of fuelwood or forage, was used. Eight procedures previously reported for plants were tested and adapted from leaf tissues of M. tenuiflora stored at -20°C. The optimized procedure in this study encompassed the utilization of phenol during deproteinization, increased concentrations of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and sodium chloride, and a shorter period and lower temperature of incubation concerning other methods. The extracted DNA did not present degradation, and amplification via PCR was successful using ISSR, trnL, ITS, and ETS primers. Besides M. tenuiflora, this procedure was also tested and proved to be efficient in genetic studies of other plant species.

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.

Mansoa (Bignoniaceae: Bignonieae) is a Neotropical genus of lianas distributed through Wet and Seasonally Dry Forests. The genus is characterized by striated bark, extrafloral nectaries on the abaxial surface of leaflets, trifid tendrils, and garlic odor. During a taxonomic revision of the genus, five new species were discovered in South America, increasing to 16 the number of recognized species in Mansoa. Four of these taxa, Mansoa ivanii, Mansoa longicalyx, Mansoa minensis and Mansoa paganuccii, are restricted to eastern portions of Brazil, while Mansoa gentryi is found in Peruvian rainforests. Mansoa ivanii, M. longicalyx, and M. minensis share pubescent branches and leaflets with Mansoa hirsuta, but differ by the corolla length and calyx morphology. Mansoa paganuccii shares ovate to elliptic leaflets and a lack of garlic odor with Mansoa difficilis and Mansoa angustidens, but differs by the serrate leaflets and mucronate calyx. Mansoa gentryi shares chartaceous and elliptic leaflets with Mansoa alliacea, but differs by the pinnate venation and ribbed capsules.

A utilização das plantas pela espécie humana ocorre das mais variadas maneiras, principalmente, na alimentação, vestimenta, no tratamento e cura de doenças. Dentre os grupos culturais que usam as plantas medicinais, encontram-se os povos remanescentes dos quilombos. O conhecimento que os quilombolas possuem é baseado em valores, símbolos, crenças e mitos. Hábitos e costumes estão diretamente envolvidos com o ambiente e esta relação permitiu que estas comunidades acumulassem conhecimentos. Deste modo, a Lei nº 10.639/2003 tornou obrigatório o ensino sobre História e Cultura Afro-Brasileira em instituições de ensino. Assim, o presente relato de experiência foi realizado por intermédio de uma intervenção, desenvolvida em três encontros e uma visita à UESB, sendo um conjunto de atividades mediadas pelo professor, que permite aos discentes questionar, sanar dúvidas e realizar ações. Assim, as visitas ao HUESB e ao LPN contribuíram para que os estudantes fizessem uma associação entre o conhecimento popular e o conhecimento científico e entendessem como esses estão entrelaçados, bem como perceber a relevância de ambos os conhecimentos para a história da Ciência. Palavras-chave: Educação informal; Pedagogia crítica; Educação Quilombola.

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