Dioscorea compacta (Dioscoreaceae), a new endangered dwarf species from the Jalapão region, Tocantins, Brazil

Abstract

The Jalapão region located in the east of the state of Tocantins, central Brazil is the largest continuous area of protected cerrado, a hotspot of biodiversity. Here we present a new species of Dioscorea, found in dry soils in sandy open cerrado vegetation within the limits of two protected areas. This species differs from other similar species by its combination of dwarf habit, staminate flowers with three stamens plus three staminodes, compact pistillate inflorescences and spheroid unwinged seeds.

Still on the Stachytarpheta longispicata complex (Verbenaceae): two new narrowly endemic species from the Cerrado domain of Central Brazil

“…Furthermore, it is important to highlight that the great sampling effort by Antar and Sano (2019) to document the flora of the Jalapão region in State of Tocantins has revealed several new and rare species (such as Bonamia campestris Moreira and Simao‐Bianch, Chamaecrista tocantinensis Mendes and Silva, Couepia brevistaminea Barbosa‐Silva and Antar, Dioscorea compacta Araújo, Dyckia oreadica Forzza and Antar, Euphorbia adenoplicata Silva and Cordeiro, Polygala bringelii Pastore and Antar, P. tocantinensis Pastore and Antar, Homalolepis tocantina (Devecchi and Pirani) Devecchi and Pirani, Turnera fasciculifolia Rocha and Arbo). Most of them were described based on only a single or few gatherings (Devecchi and Pirani 2015, Araújo et al 2016, Mendes et al 2017, Moreira et al 2017, Barbosa‐Silva and Antar 2020, Marques‐Silva et al 2020, Rocha et al 2020, Antar et al 2021., Pastore and Antar 2021), as is the case of the S. longibracteata . Therefore, the finding of S. longibracteata alongside these several new species in the Jalapão region may stimulate conservation and botanical sampling efforts in this floristically rich region of the Cerrado domain (Antar and Sano 2019).…”

Two new endangered species of Polygala series Trichospermae (Polygalaceae), endemic to the Cerrado domain, Tocantins State, Brazil

“…Two phytogeographic domains of the state, the Amazon and the Cerrado, are known for large areas of vegetation in a good conservation status. Even though new species from Tocantins are being continuously described (e.g., Araújo et al 2016;Moreira et al 2017;Barbosa-Silva & Antar 2020;Silva et al 2020), the flora of the state is relatively poorly known (BFG 2015) and more collecting efforts are in order.…”

Angiosperms of dry grasslands and savannahs of Jalapão, the largest conserved Cerrado area in Brazil

“…Sampaio, personal communication) except a one-time addendum of new collection efforts bringing the total of plant species for all physionogmies in Jalapão to 463 (Seplan 2003), and a limited number of new collecting expeditions (Proença et al 2007). Nevertheless, a relatively large number of new species have been described from the region or rediscovered there recently (e.g., Proença et al 2007;França & Proença 2007;Araujo & Souza 2007;Yamamoto et al 2008;Rua et al 2008;Vieira & Souza 2008;Devecchi & Pirani 2015;Borges & Antar 2016;Araújo et al 2016;Mendes et al 2017;Moreira et al 2017;Antar et al 2017) highlighting its incomplete floristic knowledge (Proença et al 2007;. Thus, our work represents an important contribution to the understanding of the biodiversity within this botanically underexplored, highly threatened region within the Cerrado domain.…”