First record of Pleroma boraceiense (Brade) P.J.F. Guim. & Justino (Melastomataceae) in Minas Gerais state, Brazil

Abstract

This paper presents the first record of Pleroma boraceiense in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. This new occurrence is significant because the species had a restricted original distribution with about 10 gatherings in São Paulo State, in the Serra do Mar. On the other hand, a previous study showed a low floristic similarity between the Melastomataceae flora of the Serra do Mar State Park and that of Serra Negra region. In order to evaluate the environmental similarity, a predictive species distribution modelling has been developed. The gathering site in Minas Gerais (RPPN Mato Limpo) showed high suitability. It suggests the need for creation of protected areas in Serra Negra, since the region is suffering environmental impacts. Based on the recent phylogeny of the Melastomateae tribe and for the purpose of correct classification of the studied species, a new combination was made for Pleroma boraceiense.

The importance of rediscovering rare and endemic plants: Two species of Pleroma D.Don (Melastomataceae), an update of conservation status, and improved descriptions

“…The collection of poorly known species is a challenging but necessary task, especially for megadiverse countries such as Brazil (Teixeira et al 2014). Recently, sampling efforts in under-collected areas of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest have revealed taxonomic novelties in different genera of Melastomataceae (Goldenberg et al 2016;Bochorny et al 2017;Bacci et al 2018;Justino et al 2018). Therefore, the collection of specimens of rare species is essential to refine morphological circumscriptions of taxa, gain knowledge about their geographic distribution, and to provide recommended conservation assessments.…”

Too many floristic inventories? New records in seasonal semi-deciduous forest in the Serra da Mantiqueira in Minas Gerais state answer this question

“…Such broad floristic studies are more common in vegetation mosaics with grasslands and forest areas (often rainforests) (e.g., Rezende et al 2013;Meireles et al 2014). Some examples regarding the importance of floristic surveys are the new records for the flora of Minas Gerais published in the last decade (e.g., Menini Neto et al 2013;Gonzaga et al 2015Gonzaga et al , 2016Justino et al 2018), as well as the description of new species (e.g., Bernacci et al 2014;Cardoso et al 2019;Hammes et al 2020), which contribute to enhancing the knowledge on the richness and distribution of species, including those threatened with extinction.…”