ABSTRACT Until the mid-XX century, little awareness on the ecological services or socio-environmental problems and benefits related to aquatic plants culminated in bottlenecks on their natural history, especially for the Neotropics. In this context, Acta Botanica Brasilica (ABB) organized this special issue to promote the advancement of knowledge on this ecological group in the Neotropics, supported by Sociedade Botânica do Brasil’s group of aquatic plants specialists. We selected and evaluated manuscripts gathering unprecedented findings, resulting from studies on aquatic plants, with little investigated or documented approaches, such as the improper use of methodological paradigms and aspects of biogeography, ecophysiology, morphoanatomy, structuration of communities, functional ecology, and human use. Here we present a synthesis of these reports’ findings that shall contribute to deepening the knowledge on the natural history, sustainable use, and conservation of aquatic plants and guide future research, mainly in Neotropical aquatic ecosystems. The publication of special issues on themes with insufficient knowledge to Science can reduce such gaps and expand the journal’s perspectives. Therefore, we believe that this special issue of ABB will boost the understanding of aquatic plants’ natural history as much as incentivizing journals with specific scopes of the area of Plant Biology to similar initiatives.

ABSTRACT Sinningia rupicola (Gesneriaceae), espécie ameaçada de extinção e classificada como endêmica de canga do Quadrilátero Ferrífero é aqui apresentada sob uma abordagem ecológica, baseada na análise de dados referentes a registros realizados em duas Reservas Particulares do Patrimônio Natural (RPPN) da empresa Vale, situadas no Quadrilátero Ferrífero, Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil: Capanema e Poço Fundo. O estudo visou caracterizar a população da espécie quanto ao número de indivíduos, área de ocupação (AOO), extensão de ocorrência (EOO) e aspectos ambientais dos locais de registros relacionados à topografia, cobertura vegetal e litologia, além de avaliação do substrato, micro-habitat e fenologia. Foram registrados 1.397 indivíduos, sendo 1.254 na RPPN Capanema e 143 na RPPN Poço Fundo. As populações foram registradas colonizando rochas Quartzíticas, em altitudes que variaram entre 1.400 e 1.600 m. As populações foram caracterizadas como predominantemente saxícolas, encontradas em floração entre janeiro e março e com frutos entre fevereiro e março. Os resultados obtidos neste estudo demonstram a ocorrência de Sinningia rupicola em litologias variadas, o que sugere que a distribuição da espécie em ambientes naturais é mais ampla do que a até então presumida.

RESUMO Sinningia rupicola (Gesneriaceae), an endangered species classified as endemic to the cangas of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero is presented here under an ecological approach. It was based on data analysis of two populations sampled in the Private Natural Heritage Reserves (RPPN) Capanema and Poço Fundo belonging to the company Vale S.A., located at the Quadrilátero Ferrífero, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The study aimed to characterize the populations of the species regarding the number of individuals, area of occupancy (AOO), extent of occurrence (EOO) and the environmental aspects of the record sites. The populations were related to topography, hydrography, vegetation cover and lithology, as well as substrate, micro-habitat and phenology evaluation. In total, it was registered 1,397 individuals, 1,254 at RPPN Capanema and 143 at RPPN Poço Fundo. The populations were found occurring on quartzitic rocks, at altitudes ranging from 1,400 to 1,600 m. The populations were characterized as predominantly saxicolous, flowering between January and March and with fruits between February and March. The results obtained in this study demonstrate the occurrence of Sinningia rupicola in varied lithologies suggesting that its occurrence in natural environments may be wider than previously assumed.

Resumo O objetivo do presente trabalho foi realizar o levantamento florístico das áreas úmidas do Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca (PEIB), comparando-as em relação à riqueza, composição florística e formas de vida. Para isso, foram realizadas expedições mensais, ao longo de um ano, para a coleta de plantas vasculares. Nos campos úmidos foram encontradas 81 espécies, 55 gêneros e 21 famílias, sendo as mais representativas Asteraceae (22 spp.), Melastomataceae (nove spp.), Xyridaceae (sete spp.), Poaceae e Orchidaceae (seis spp. cada), totalizando 62% das espécies amostradas. Na lagoa temporária foram encontradas 27 espécies, distribuídas em 23 gêneros e 11 famílias. As famílias com maior riqueza específica foram Poaceae (oito spp.), Cyperaceae e Asteraceae (cinco spp. cada), totalizando 67% das espécies amostradas. Em ambas as áreas, houve predomínio da forma de vida hemicriptófita (aproximadamente 43% nos campos úmidos e 63% na lagoa sazonal). A composição florística mostrou grande importância conservacionista, com presença de doze espécies endêmicas de Minas Gerais, cerca de 22% da riqueza específica presente em alguma categoria de ameaça e a ocorrência de uma espécie nova de Cyperaceae. Além disso, apenas cinco espécies ocorreram em ambas áreas úmidas (5,1% da riqueza específica).

Abstract The aim of the present study was to perform the floristic survey of the wetlands of the Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca (PEIB), comparing them regarding richness, floristic composition and life forms, based on monthly expeditions to collect vascular plants. Eighty-one (81) species were found in the moist grassland, most of them being endemic to Brazil and included in 55 genera and 21 families. The most representative families were Asteraceae (22 spp.), Melastomataceae (nine spp.), Xyridaceae (seven spp.), Poaceae and Orchidaceae (six spp. each), totalizing 62% of the sampled species. Twenty-seven (27) species were found in the seasonal pond, distributed in 23 genera and 11 families. Families with the highest specific richness were Poaceae (eight spp.), Cyperaceae and Asteraceae (five spp. each), totalizing 67% of the sampled species. There was a predominance of hemicryptophyte life form (nearly 43% of the moist grasslands and 63% of the seasonal pond) in both areas. The floristic analysis results showed great importance to conservation with 22% of species under some threatened category, 12 species endemics to Minas Gerais state and one new species of Cyperaceae. Furthermore, only five species occur in both wetland types (5.1% of the species richness).

ABSTRACT Initiatives directed at managing information on aquatic plants can support different areas of scientific research, educational practices and political decisions for sustainable management and protection of wetlands and natural resources, as well as reveal knowledge gaps regarding aquatic plants and wetlands. Furthermore, such initiatives can contribute directly to consolidating wetland classification systems in Brazil. The objectives of this work are to present and explore the use of a data repository and online platform created specifically for the management of data on aquatic plants in Brazil. The data repository for aquatic plants was developed to store information on species occurrence records in a standardized form considering: systematics, taxonomy, habit, life form, geographic distribution, hydrographic basin, wetland, bibliographic references and herbarium material. A total of 3,903 records referring to the Southeast Region of Brazil were generated for the data repository. This total encompassed 1,036 species distributed among 132 families and 466 genera. Our results illustrate the diversity of information available regarding aquatic plants, circumscribe this group of species and serve as a source of data about them. Similar databases and electronic infrastructures can be developed for other flora in the future.

RESUMO Os objetivos deste estudo foram descrever a composição da flora fanerogâmica de um remanescente de vegetação do Domínio Atlântico situado no município de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, utilizar análises de similaridade florística para relacionar suas variações com os três habitats de vegetação reconhecidos: Inselberg (afloramento rochoso), Interior e Borda da Floresta e comparar floristicamente os resultados encontrados com outras áreas de Mata Atlântica contempladas com levantamentos florísticos. Foram feitas coletas aleatórias de amostras de material botânico fértil em toda a área durante campanhas quinzenais que ocorreram entre abril de 2001 e janeiro de 2004, enriquecendo a coleção do herbário CESJ da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora. Foram registradas 373 espécies distribuídas em 255 gêneros e 87 famílias. A família Fabaceae foi a mais representativa em números de espécies (38), seguida de Asteraceae e Rubiaceae (24), além de Melastomataceae (20) e Solanaceae (17). O habitat com maior riqueza de espécies foi o Interior da Floresta, com 251; seguida pela Borda, com 211; e o Inselberg, com apenas dez. Os índices de similaridade mostraram que os três habitats têm composição florística muito distinta. Os resultados realçaram o grande valor do remanescente na manutenção da biodiversidade local.

ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to describe the composition of the vascular flora of a native vegetation remnant of the Atlantic Domain, located in Juiz de Fora, SE Brazil, to use floristic similarity analyses to compare its variation with three recognized plant habitats: Inselberg (rock outcrop), Forest Edge and Forest Interior, and to compare the results found with similar research published for other areas of the Atlantic Forests. Plant specimens were randomly collected throughout the area in fortnightly fieldwork carried out between April 2001 and January 2004, enriching the colection of the Herbarium of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (CESJ). The total of species found was 375, distributed in 257 genera and 89 families. Fabaceae was the most representative family with the highest number of species (38), followed by Asteraceae and Rubiaceae (24), Melastomataceae (20) and Solanaceae (17). The richest habitat was the Forest Interior, with 251 species; followed by the Edge, with 211; and the Inselberg, with only ten. The similarity indices showed that all three habitats have very distinct in floristic composition. The results highlight the great value of forest fragments in the maintenance of local biodiversity.