Flora of Espírito Santo, Brazil: Connaraceae

Abstract

The pantropical family Connaraceae includes 12-13 genera and about 200 species, with species richness centered in Amazonia and Atlantic Forest. Most neotropical species of this family occur in Brazil, where several taxa are exclusively found. In Espírito Santo (southeast Brazil), two genera (Connarus and Rourea) and nine species of Connaraceae occur, all of which are exclusive to Brazil and mostly distributed in tableland forests or restingas from Rio de Janeiro up to south Bahia, with some taxa restricted to a few sites or even endemic to a particular area in Espírito Santo. In order to contribute to the flora of Espírito Santo, this taxonomic treatment presents morphological descriptions of the family, the two genera and their respective species, along with identification keys, illustrations, distribution maps and recognition notes.