Bignonieae (Bignoniaceae) from the Pico do Jabre, Paraíba, Brazil: Taxonomic diversity and distribution

Abstract

The tribe Bignonieae with approximately 393 species, represents the largest tribe of Bignoniaceae. Most members of Bignonieae are tendrillate lianas, although some shrubs are also found within this clade. The Pico do Jabre, located at 1,197 m of altitude, represents the highest mountain in the state of Paraíba (Brazil) and an area of extreme biological importance. We conducted an inventory of the Bignonieae from the Pico do Jabre. We documented eight genera and 13 species, only Tanaecium parviflorum is a shrub. The most diverse genera recorded are: Tanaecium (3 spp.), Amphilophium (2 spp.), Bignonia (2 spp.) and Xylophragma (2 spp.). Anemopaegma, Cuspidaria, Dolichandra and Pyrostegia are represented by a single species each. Six species are new records for the region (i.e., Bignonia ramentacea, B. sciuripabulum, Tanaecium cyrtanthum, T. dichotomum, Xylophragma harleyi and X. heterocalyx). Tanaecium cyrtanthum, X. harleyi and X. heterocalyx are new records for the state of Paraíba. Prior to this study, Xylophragma heterocalyx was only known from the type specimen, from Minas Gerais, representing a new record for the Caatinga. The high number of new records found in this study highlights the importance of regional floristic inventories for the documentation of new species occurrences.