Flora of Espírito Santo: Inga (Fabaceae, Mimosoid clade)

Abstract

This study aims to assess the diversity of Inga in the state of Espírito Santo (ES), in order to establish diagnostic characters and circumscription of the species through a detailed analysis of botanical collections. This analysis was based on morphological analysis of specimens collected in the ES and deposited in herbarium collections. The study provides identification keys, descriptions, illustrations, taxonomic comments, geographic distributions, distribution patterns, and phenology data for the species. Twenty-six taxa of Inga were recognized in ES. Of these, 14 (52%) are endemic to Brazil, one of which, Inga teresensis, is restricted to ES. Species of Inga occur predominantly in dense ombrophilous forest (23 taxa), followed by seasonal semideciduous forest (16 taxa), open ombrophilous forest (nine taxa), and pioneer formations (eight taxa). Among dense ombrophilous forests, a higher diversity of Inga species was present in slope forests (22 taxa) than tabuleiro forests (15 taxa). Inga aptera, I. cabelo, I. maritima, I. platyptera, and I. unica are listed as threatened. The distribution of four taxa, I. aptera, I. ciliata subsp. ciliata, I. cylindrica, and I. subnuda var. luschnatiana was extended to ES.