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General morphology of Aguiaria excelsa (Malvaceae, Bombacoideae): A. mature buttressed individual; B. scratched bark; C. the simple leaves clustered at branch apex; D. fruit before dehiscence; E, F. different views of the fruit with dehisced exocarp showing the spongyfibrous endocarp (E); G. germinating seed from inside endocarp. Photographs by Domingos Cardoso.
Source publication
The Amazon is renowned to hold an unprecedented, yet poorlyknown or unexplored plant diversity. This study aimed to report new collections on five rare or littleknown and phylogenetically enigmatic trees, Aguiaria excelsa (Malvaceae, Bombacoideae), Hylocarpa heterocarpa (Humiriaceae), and the papilionoid legumes Monopteryx uaucu , Petaladenium ur...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... field trips achieved success in finding the targeted enigmatic Amazonian trees Aguiaria excelsa, Hylocarpa heterocarpa, Monopteryx uaucu, Petaladenium urceoliferum, and Uleanthus erythrinoides, most of them occurring in the upper Rio Negro, around the municipality of São Gabriel da Cachoeira, state of Amazonas, Brazil (Figure 1). We obtained complete flowering and fruiting collections for Petaladenium and Uleanthus, but for Aguiaria, Hylocarpa, and Monopteryx we collected only fruiting and sterile specimens (Figures 2-7). In addition to duplicate specimens that have been shared with other herbaria, our new collections rendered to HUEFS and INPA the addition of four new specimens of Aguiaria excelsa (known previously in herbaria from only two specimens), three of Hylocarpa heterocarpa (known previously from only four specimens), four of Monopteryx uaucu (known before from several specimens), six of Petaladenium urceoliferum (known previously from only six specimens), and four of Uleanthus erythrinoides (known before from only six specimens). ...
Context 2
... only had the huge size of A. excelsa impressed Ducke as well as us, but also the remarkable morphology of its anemochoric fruits that are unique among Bombacoideae and angiosperms as a whole. The small, less than 4 cm long fruits of Aguiaria have dehiscent exocarp that splits off into five valves, but these remain attached to the indehiscent endocarp (Figure 2), superficially resembling the fruits in the genus Cedrela P.Browne (Meliaceae). The very unusual fruit morphology of Aguiaria had perplexed Ducke as we can see in his original description of the genus: "Não tenho conhecimento de aparelhamento igual da semente, em qualquer outra espécie vegetal!" [I am not aware of similar seed chamber in any other plant species] ( Ducke 1935: 331). ...
Citations
... Thorough assessments of morphological variation across the geographical ranges of Clathrotropis and closely related genera were made by the study of nearly 1100 herbarium specimens [from the following herbaria: ALCB, BBS, BRG, CAY, CEN, COAH, COL, E, F* FDG, HAMAB, HUA, HUEFS, INPA, K, MO*, NY*, P, R, RB, S, U, UB, US*, and WAG*; acronyms follow Thiers (2022;continuously updated); herbaria marked with an asterisk were consulted only by digitalized specimens] and through extensive fieldwork in Brazil (e.g. Cardoso et al. 2015b), and spot collections in Colombia and French Guiana. Such assessments were fundamental in guiding our taxon sampling for reconstructing a more robust phylogeny of the group. ...
Molecular phylogenetic studies focused on the early-branching papilionoid legumes have revealed many new clades and supported several generic realignments, yet the monophyly of some of the constituent genera has remained unassessed. This is the case for the Amazonian genus Clathrotropis of the tribe Ormosieae. The genus, as traditionally circumscribed, comprises seven species of trees, including some of the most ecologically hyper dominant taxa across the Amazonian terra firme and seasonally flooded forests. Here we employed a Bayesian analysis of densely sampled nuclear ribosomal ITS/5.8S and plastid matK and trnL intron DNA sequences to evaluate the monophyly of Clathrotropis. All individual and concatenated analyses concurred in showing the non-monophyletic nature of Clathrotropis, whose species fall into three distantly related lineages: one, comprised of C. brachypetala, C. brunnea, C. glaucophylla and the ecologically dominant C. macrocarpa, is circumscribed here as the new genus Cabari; the two others, comprising C. paradoxa and the widespread C. nitida, are more closely related to Spirotropis of the tribe Ormosieae. Such phylogeny-based dismemberment of Clathrotropis is further supported by vegetative, floral, fruit, and seed characters. Although the genes analysed in this study have provided phylogenetically informative data supporting the need for a new circumscription of Clathrotropis, we suggest that future phylogenomic studies should seek to better resolve the relationships of the newly described genus Cabari across the phylogenetically recalcitrant early-branching nodes of the Genistoid clade.
... florally mega rich Amazon Basin (Hopkins 2007;Cardoso et al. 2015aCardoso et al. , 2017. For example, in addition to being an Amazonian endemic genus, two out of the three known species, Monopteryx angustifolia Spruce ex Benth. ...
Monopteryx is a florally divergent genus of Dipterygeae, an early-branching papilionoid legume clade largely marked by winged papilionate floral architecture, expanded upper calyx lobes often assuming a wing-shaped orientation, and petals differentiated into standard, wings, and a keel enclosing the basally connate stamens. In contrast to the remaining Dipterygeae genera, Monopteryx has differentiated petals but the marginally coherent keel with interlaced trichomes exposes the free stamens and the expanded upper calyx lobes are nearly entirely fused with a standard-like dorsal orientation. Monopteryx species are restricted to the Amazonian rainforests, where they have diversified since the last 15 Ma, but the divergence of the genus is estimated to be as old as 39 Ma. They grow as large buttressed trees usually with a uniquely "flying" architecture, which are arched from the trunk to the ground and separated from one another, unlike that found in any other species of leguminaceous trees. Its fruits are elastically dehiscent pods and in some species they bear marginally crimped wings along the sutures. Our taxonomic revision of this ecologically and evolutionarily important, ancient genus includes an analysis of about 135 specimens from across 14 herbaria, including both type and historical collections, as well as recently collected samples from our extensive fieldwork across remote areas of the Amazon. Grounded on a densely-sampled dated molecular phylogeny of nuclear and plastid data, here we recognize three phylogenetically and morphologically distinct taxa: M. angustifolia, M. inpae, and M. uaucu. After a careful revision of their nomen-clatural history, we also found that M. inpae was not validly published. We subsequently have provided typification of all names associated with species of the genus. This revision also includes morphological descriptions, illustrations, and distribution maps for all species. We also discuss the phylogenetic relationships between the species and the evolution of selected taxonomically key morphological characters in the context of the entire Diptergyeae clade.
... Cataloging and describing the plants in species-rich regions such as the vast tropical Amazon lowland rainforest is fundamental to understanding patterns of diversity and are the first step toward conservation prioritization (Hopkins 2007;Cardoso et al. 2017). However, much taxonomy remains to be done in Amazonia, partly because huge remote regions are unexplored (Cardoso et al. 2015a), and when specimens exist, they can remain hidden for decades in herbaria without being studied by taxonomists (Bebber et al. 2010). In the face of accelerating habitat destruction, thorough monographic revisions of plant groups in poorly-collected regions are therefore urgent priorities. ...
We present a taxonomic synopsis of Aldina (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae), a poorly known Neotropical genus of predominantly Amazonian trees with unusual, non-papilionate flowers. Aldina is characterized by the combination of odd-foliolate leaves and flowers with radial symmetry, free and undifferentiated petals, an entire calyx, and free, numerous stamens. Difficulty accessing species in remote areas has led to poor representation in herbaria, and species descriptions based on scant material have led to a doubtful and confused taxonomy. Eighteen species are recognized here: A. aurea , A. auyantepuiensis, A. barnebyana, A. berryi, A. discolor , A. diplogyne , A. elliptica , A. heterophylla, A. insignis , A. kunhardtiana , A. latifolia , A. macrophylla , A. microphylla, A. occidentalis , A. paulberryi , A. petiolulata , A. polyphylla, and A. reticulata . The names A. amazonica , A. latifolia var. pubescens , A. insignis var. retusa, A. stergiosii , A. aquae-negrae , A. rio-negrae , and A. speciosa are newly synonymized. We lectotypify A. discolor , A. heterophylla , A. macrophylla, A. occidentalis , and A. polyphylla, and make a new combination, Aldina auyantepuiensis . All Aldina species are found in the Amazon basin. An identification key for all species, a color plate, diagnostic illustrations, and a map of geographic distribution of the genus are also presented.
... Gyranthera darienensis Pittier, Cavanillesia chicamochae Fern. Alonso, Gyranthera caribensis Pittier, and Neobuchia paulinae Urb. are endemic to Australia, Brazil, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, and Haiti, respectively [4,8,24,[28][29][30]. ...
Plants belonging to the subfamily Bombacoideae (family Malvaceae) consist of about 304 species, many of them having high economical and medicinal properties. In the past, this plant group was put under Bombacaceae; however, modern molecular and phytochemical findings supported the group as a subfamily of Malvaceae. A detailed search on the number of publications related to the Bombacoideae subfamily was carried out in databases like PubMed and Science Direct using various keywords. Most of the plants in the group are perennial tall trees usually with swollen tree trunks, brightly colored flowers, and large branches. Various plant parts ranging from leaves to seeds to stems of several species are also used as food and fibers in many countries. Members of Bombacoides are used as ornamentals and economic utilities, various plants are used in traditional medication systems for their anti-inflammatory, astringent, stimulant, antipyretic, microbial, analgesic, and diuretic effects. Several phytochemicals, both polar and non-polar compounds, have been detected in this plant group supporting evidence of their medicinal and nutritional uses. The present review provides comprehensive taxonomic, ethno-pharmacological, economic, food and phytochemical properties of the subfamily Bombacoideae.
Cabari Gregório & D.B.O.S.Cardoso (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) is a recently described neotropical genus of trees, with species predominantly distributed in the Amazon basin. After robust evidence from a recent phylogenetic analysis of nuclear and plastid DNA sequence data, the genus was segregated from Clathrotropis (Benth.) Harms. Cabari is a genus of large trees with imparipinnately compound leaves and opposite leaflets, inflorescences terminal or less often axillary, woody pods with elastically dehiscent valves, and large seeds. In this taxonomic revision, the genus comprises three species: C. brachypetala , C. brunnea , and C. macrocarpa . We provide morphological descriptions and taxonomic comments for all species, as well as an identification key, three new synonyms, color plates, line drawings, and maps of geographic distribution. Keywords — Clathrotropis , Fabaceae, Leguminosae, morphology, nomenclature, Ormosieae, Papilionoideae.
Aguiaria, Catostemma, and Scleronema (Malvaceae) are restricted to Amazonia, and comprise 20 accepted (and one uncertain) species that are typically large trees with significant economic value. No recent studies or taxonomic reviews of these three genera exist, and our preliminary evaluation indicated that many names need to be lectotypified. We present here a detailed review of all the names related to these three genera, with comments, corrected names, lectotypification of 10 names, and epitypification for three names. This article provides a basis for future systematic and evolutionary studies of both the Catostemma clade and of the tribe Adansonieae, in which that clade is embedded.
Herbal and plant extracts show diverse activities and have been used for centuries as
natural medicines for many health problems and diseases. Through the isolation and
analysis of the compounds in the extracts, it is possible to understand why the extracts
exhibit those activities, as well as the chemical metabolism of compounds that occur in
plants and herbs. Recently, there have been increasing attempts to develop herbal and
plant extracts into functional foods and drugs, but the legal requirements are becoming
stricter. We need sophisticatedly defined extracts through the isolation and analysis of
compounds comprising them in order to meet the legal requirements and to pursue
quality control strategies in the production of functional foods and drugs. This Special
Issue Book compiled the 15 recent research and review articles that highlight the
isolation, profiling, and analysis of compounds in herbal and plant extracts, as well as
quality control and standardized processing strategies for extracts with characteristic
compounds.
Small shrubs, treelets or large trees; wood hard, aromatic, often with balsamic sap, heartwood reddish, alburnum yellow or yellowish; bark smooth, striate or fissured. Leaves alternate, simple, distichous, coriaceous or subcoriaceous, penninerved, brochidodromous, from small to large, margins entire, crenulate, dentate or slightly serrate, petiolate or rarely sessile, sometimes decurrent along branches, often punctate-glandulose (nectariferous glands) near margins (or basal) on underside; stipules very small, geminate, often deciduous. Inflorescences (synflorescences) axillary, pseudo terminal or rarely terminal, cymose-paniculate (or thysoid) or often corymbiform, of dichasial type and trichotomous, but through reduction with dichotomous or alternate (cincinnate) branching; branchlets often with incrassate ends, articulate; pedicels short, articulate; bracts and bracteoles persistent or deciduous, small, amplectant. Flowers hermaphroditic, actinomorphic, slightly aromatic; sepals 5, persistent, thick and carnose at base, thinner toward margins, suborbicular or triangular, more or less connate in tube or cupule in varying degrees, glabrous, pubescent or tomentose outside, margins always ciliate, sometimes with marginal or dorsal glands; aestivation quincuncial or imbricate; petals 5, deciduous or sometimes persistent, free, thick or membranaceous, usually 3–5-veined, oblong, linear or oblong-lanceolate, acute to obtuse, 1.5–16 mm long, exceptionally 30–40 mm long, rarely with gland at top, margins smooth, sometimes with tooth at one side near apex, above glabrous, below glabrous or pilose, white, greenish white, or yellowish white, rarely red or purple; aestivation contorted, cochlear or quincuncial; stamens monadelphous, numerous and pluriseriate or of variable number, 1–2-seriate; filaments filiform (when numerous), slender and flexuose, or thick, complanate, linear, acute at apex, straight and glabrous or papillose; connate at base in a more or less long tube, alternating in different lengths, sometimes five alternating with petals are trifurcate at apex and triantheriferous; sometimes with additional staminodial filaments; anthers dorsifixed or subbasifixed; thecae 2, bilocular, laterally attached, ellipsoid-oblong and each cell dehiscing by longitudinal slit, or 4 unilocular, rounded or ellipsoid disjunct thecae (2 lateral and 2 basal), dehiscing by detachment, or two unilocular, disjunct, basal, dehiscing by detachment; connective thick, fleshy, ovoid or lanceolate, obtuse at apex or most commonly produced in apiculum or linguiform appendage; pollen shed as isopolar monads; intrastaminal free disc surrounding ovary, membranaceous or subcoriaceous, nectariferous, annular, tubular or cupular, dentate, lobate, laciniate or composed of 10–20 free scales; style single, entire, columnar, erect, as long as stamens (1.2–12 mm long, exceptionally 30 mm long or shorter (0.3–0.9 mm long), rarely very short and rather thick or longer; stigma narrowly or broadly capitate, 5-lobate or 5-radiate; ovary superior, ovoid or ellipsoid, sessile, syncarpous, (4-)-5(−7) septate with axile placentation, locules uniovulate or biovulate; ovules anatropous, epitropous with 2 integuments, pendant at inner angle of ovary cells, micropyle pointing upward, raphe ventral; when 2 ovules present in each cell, superposite and lower one hanging from longer funiculus. Fruit a drupe (drupoid), from small (not exceeding 16 mm) to large, black, blackish, reddish, yellow, or orange when mature, usually aromatic; exocarp with smooth surface, glabrous, or pilose; mesocarp hard-fleshy varying from pulpy to fibrous, subcoriaceous texture, often aromatic and edible; endocarp woody, usually very hard, compact or with many resin-filled, round cavities, rarely spongy-woody, 5 septate, commonly with only 1–2(−5) seeds developed; surface smooth, bullate, rugose, or tuberculate, slightly striate or strongly costate; with dehiscence germinal, provided with as many longitudinal opercula or valves as carpels, which may open or be pushed away by emerging embryo at germination of seed inside fruit; often subapical foramina present in Duckesia, Endopleura, Humiria, and Humiriastrum. Seeds oblong, with double testa, exterior often adherent to endocarp, inner membranaceous, thin; one or two per locule; embryo straight or slightly curved, cotyledons oblong or ovate, often subcordate at base, radicle half as long, endosperm fleshy and oily.
Christiana mennegae is a phylogenetically enigmatic taxon and represents a case in point of a species whose presence escaped the radar of the Amazon lists and the Brazilian Flora project. Here we expand its distribution by adding new records from Peru and overlooked ones from Brazil. To investigate its phylogenetic placement in the Brownlowioideae, part of the rbcL gene of the plastid and the intergenic ITS2 region were sequenced. Macro- and micro-morphological investigation of features of C. mennegae using SEM of foliar, flower, fruit and seed structures are presented. A
lectotype for the name is designated here. The morphology of trichomes revealed five types of trichomes ranging from glandular to branched and unbranched and we also report stomata on the seed surface for the first time in Brownlowioideae. Christiana mennegae and C. africana were recovered as sister species in the phylogenetic analysis, albeit with low to moderate support, and more species of this and closely related genera must be sampled and analyzed in order to obtain a clearer picture of the group’s affinities and relationships. We provide an update of its conservation status from Vulnerable to Least Concern.Wealso highlight the need for investment in the digitization of biological collections, botanical capacity building at the local level and the importance of the availability of online literature to speed the study of Amazonian plant diversity.
Peridiscus lucidus (Peridiscaceae) is recorded for the first time for the vascular flora of Colombia based on a collection from the upper Río Cuyarí, Guianía Department. This locality extends the northwestern distribution of the species in the Amazon basin to
the upper Río Negro basin. Notes about the phytogeography and habitats of P. lucidus and an updated overview of the currently known specimens using a geographic distribution map of this taxon are also included. In addition, we provide information on the distinctive vegetative characters that help identify this genus in absence of flowers and fruits. Finally, a lectotype of P. lucidus is newly designated. The discovery of this family in the upper Rio Negro region of Colombia demonstrates the value of field work through alliances between private initiatives and the Kuripaco nation.
