The Droseraceae belongs to the botanical order Nepenthales and comprises three genera: Drosera (sundews) with adhesive traps; and the sister genera Dionaea (Venus ’ flytrap) and Aldrovanda (waterwheel plant), each of which evolved snap-traps. Vegetative and generative morphology of each genus are illustrated and interpreted based on phylogenetic evidence. Phylogeny, evolutionary history, and infrageneric classification of Drosera are discussed in light of molecular phylogenetic data, and illustrated with phylogenetic trees and maps of their distribution.
Drosera magnifica, a microendemic sundew discovered on a single mountain top in eastern Minas Gerais (southeastern Brazil), is described here as a new species for science. Regarded as the largest New World sundew and one of the three largest Drosera species, it was just recently discovered through photographs posted on the social network Facebook. A detailed description, remarks on ecology, habitat, and conservation, a distribution map, line drawings, and photographs are provided, as well as a comparison between the related taxa (D. graminifolia and D. spiralis). The species is considered Critically Endangered, according to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria.
A new interaction between insects and carnivorous plants is reported from Brazil. Larvae of the predatory flower fly Toxomerus basalis (Diptera: Syrphidae: Syrphinae) have been found scavenging on the sticky leaves of several carnivorous sundew species (Drosera, Droseraceae) in Minas Gerais and São Paulo states, SE Brazil. This syrphid apparently spends its whole larval stage feeding on prey trapped by Drosera leaves. The nature of this plant-animal relationship is discussed, as well as the Drosera species involved, and locations where T. basalis was observed. 180 years after the discovery of this flower fly species, its biology now has been revealed. This is (1) the first record of kleptoparasitism in the Syrphidae, (2) a new larval feeding mode for this family, and (3) the first report of a dipteran that shows a kleptoparasitic relationship with a carnivorous plant with adhesive flypaper traps. The first descriptions of the third instar larva and puparium of T. basalis based on Scanning Electron Microscope analysis are provided.
The Drosera villosa complex is here reviewed and includes six species endemic to Brazil: D. villosa, here identified for the first time as a narrow endemic species native to the neighboring highlands of the Serra Negra and Serra do Ibitipoca, in southern Minas Gerais state; D. ascendens, rediscovered nearly 200 years after its description, narrowly endemic to the Diamantina Plateau, central Minas Gerais; D. graomogolensis, endemic to northern Minas Gerais, but here found to be more widespread than previously reported; D. latifolia, a highly polymorphic and widespread taxon, previously placed in synonymy of D. villosa and heretofore misidentified as D. ascendens, is here elevated to species rank; and two new species here described, D. riparia and D. chimaera. Furthermore, two new natural hybrids are reported: D. villosa × D. tomentosa var. glabrata and D. latifolia × D. tomentosa. The morphological characters distinguishing these taxa from each other and from similar species are discussed, together with habitat and ecological information, detailed illustrations and photographs, distribution maps, and a key to the species of the D. villosa complex is provided. ResumoO complexo Drosera villosa é aqui revisado e é composto por seis espécies endêmicas do Brasil: D. villosa, aqui identificada pela primeira vez como uma espécie endêmica das vizinhas Serra Negra e Serra do Ibitipoca, no sul de Minas Gerais; D. ascendens, redescoberta após quase 200 anos, micro-endêmica no Planalto de Diamantina, no centro de Minas Gerais; D. graomogolensis, endêmica do norte de Minas Gerais, porém aqui considerada mais amplamente distribuída do que reportado anteriormente; D. latifolia, um táxon altamente polimórfico e amplamente distribuído, anteriormente colocado em sinonímia de D. villosa e até então erroneamente identificado como D. ascendens, é aqui elevado ao status de espécie; e duas novas espécies que são aqui descritas, D. riparia e D. chimaera. Dois novos híbridos naturais são reportados: D. villosa × D. tomentosa var. glabrata e D. latifolia × D. tomentosa. As características morfológicas que distinguem esses táxons uns dos outros e de espécies similares são discutidos, juntamente com informações sobre habitat e ecologia, ilustrações detalhadas e fotografias, mapas de distribuição e uma chave para as espécies do complexo D. villosa é apresentada.Palavras-chave: Brasil, Cadeia do Espinhaço, Chapada Diamantina, espécies novas, plantas carnívoras.
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.
Background and aims – Recent botanical discoveries have highlighted the occurrence of campos rupestres in the Serra do Padre Ângelo (SPA), eastern Minas Gerais, Brazil. Here, we introduce the first new species of Paepalanthus subg. Xeractis to be described in the last three decades. Discovered in the SPA, it belongs to an emblematic lineage endemic to the campos rupestres of Minas Gerais.Material and methods – The new species is described based on herbarium material and in situ observations. A morphological phylogenetic analysis was carried out by including the new species in a previously published character matrix. Its spatial distribution is discussed based on the obtained topology.Key results – The new species is endemic to the SPA, but its closest related taxa are endemic to the Espinhaço Range (ER), ca 200 km distant. Its placement in the phylogeny supports the inclusion in P. ser. Fuscati, representing an escape from the ER. We present a clear morphological differentiation between the new species and its closest related taxa. Other similar cases of disjunct distribution among these areas of campos rupestres (SPA vs ER) are reviewed and discussed.Conclusion – Based on the restricted distribution, allied with threats to the habitat, the new species is inserted in the IUCN category of Critically Endangered (CR). This new discovery reinforces the singularity of the SPA and the relevance of biodiversity inventories and conservation studies in the easternmost campos rupestres, and their classification as a priority area for conservation.
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