RESUMO Aldama arenaria e A. robusta são espécies aromáticas morfologicamente semelhantes e que apresentam desenvolvimento sazonal. O rendimento e a composição química dos óleos essenciais dos órgãos vegetativos aéreos e subterrâneos dessas espécies foram caracterizados e comparados, a fim de verificar a produção dos metabólitos voláteis nas fases de floração e dormência e, ainda, para tentar identificar compostos exclusivos para cada espécie. O composto majoritário no óleo essencial das folhas de A. arenaria foi o palustrol (16,22%) e para os caules aéreos o limoneno (15,3%), enquanto que limoneno (11,16%) e α-pineno (19,64%) foram os majoritários para o óleo das folhas e caules aéreos de A. robusta, respectivamente. O composto majoritário nos óleos essenciais do sistema subterrâneos foi α-pineno em ambas as espécies e fases fenológicas. Grandes quantidades de diterpenos foram encontradas especialmente nos óleos essenciais de A. arenaria. Diversos compostos foram únicos para cada uma das espécies analisadas. Este estudo caracterizou o rendimento e a composição química do óleo essencial de A. arenaria e A. robusta, espécies que possuem potencial medicinal. A comparação entre as fases de floração e dormência pode indicar a melhor época para obter os óleos essenciais, considerando o composto alvo em futuros estudos farmacológicos. Além disso, alguns dos compostos identificados foram exclusivos para cada uma delas, fornecendo um perfil químico único para cada espécie, o que pode ajudar na solução de problemas taxonômicos.

ABSTRACT Aldama arenaria and A. robusta are morphologically similar aromatic species that have seasonal development. The yield and chemical composition of essential oils from aerial and underground vegetative organs of these species were compared to verify the production of volatile metabolites in flowering and dormant phases of development and to identify if there are unique compounds for either species. The major compound in the essential oils from A. arenaria leaves was palustrol (16.22%) and for aerial stems was limonene (15.3%), whereas limonene (11.16%) and α-pinene (19.64%) were the major compounds for leaves and aerial stems from A. robusta, respectively. The major compound for the underground organs was α-pinene, in both species and phenological stages. High amounts of diterpenes were found especially for A. arenaria essential oils. Each analyzed species presented unique compounds, which can provide a characteristic chemical profile for both species helping to solve their taxonomic problems. This study characterized for the first time the yield and essential oil composition of A. arenaria and A. robusta, which have medicinal potential, and some of the compounds in their essential oils are unique to each one and may be useful in helping the correct identification of them.

This study aimed to describe the morphoanatomy of the aerial vegetative organs of seven Smilax species, used in Brazilian folk medicine. Samples of leaves and stems were fixed with FAA 50, embedded in historesin, sectioned on a rotary microtome, stained and mounted in synthetic resin. Cuticle ornamentation was analyzed with standard scanning electron microscopy. In the frontal view, the walls of the adaxial epidermis are straight in S. brasiliensis, S. cissoides, S. goyazana and sinuous in the other species. The walls of the epidermis on the abaxial surface are straight in S. brasiliensis, S. goyazana, S. rufescens, sinuous in S. campestris, S. fluminensis, S. oblongifolia, and wavy in S. cissoides. The stomata are paracytic in S. brasiliensis, S. goyazana, S. oblongifolia, and S. rufescens, anomocytic in S. cissoides, S. campestris; anisocytic and paracytic in S. fluminensis. The midrib has three vascular bundles that are individually wrapped by lignified cells in S. brasiliensis, S. cissoides, and S. fluminensis. In the other, the three vascular bundles are surrounded by a single lignified sheath. In the stems the vascular cylinder is surrounded by a sclerenchymatous ring with the exception of Smilax fluminensis, which has a starch sheath and internal layers of thin-walled cells.