Abstract Renealmia comprises approximately 85 herbaceous and rhizomatous plants in Africa and America known for their metabolite diversity. This study characterized the anatomy and histochemistry of the vegetative organs of three native Brazilian Renealmia species, R. breviscapa and R. nicolaioides, collected from the Amazon Forest in Acre and R. chrysotricha from the Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro. Samples were fixed and processed using conventional plant anatomy and micromorphology techniques, including histochemical tests to identify classes of compounds in vegetative organs. Characteristics including oil idioblasts, dorsiventral leaf structure, tetracytic stomata, unicellular trichomes, and prismatic crystals were common among the studied species of Renealmia, and thus significant for the family. Distinctive characteristics were identified in the vegetative organs of the three species, including the cellular distribution of root phloem, covering of rhizome tissue, different types and distributions of idioblasts and phenolic trichomes in rhizomes and leaves, presence or absence of petiole, and subepidermal layer in the intercostal region of leaves. Mineral content importance as a diagnostic characteristic of the genus is also emphasized. The results of this study advance the understanding of the distinctive anatomical characteristics of the three species of Renealmia in different environments, two in the Atlantic Forest and one in the Amazon Forest. 8 diversity R nicolaioides Janeiro techniques structure stomata family phloem tissue leaves petiole emphasized environments

Resumo Renealmia abrange aproximadamente 75 espécies de plantas herbáceas e rizomatosas, oriundas de regiões africanas e neotropicais, conhecidas por sua diversidade de metabólitos. Este estudo visou caracterizar a anatomia e histoquímica dos órgãos vegetativos de três espécies nativas do Brasil: Renealmia breviscapa e Renealmia nicolaioides, coletadas na Floresta Amazônica, no Acre, e Renealmia chrysotricha, encontrada em uma floresta Atlântica, no Rio de Janeiro. Amostras foram fixadas e processadas por técnicas convencionais de anatomia vegetal, incluindo testes histoquímicos para identificação das classes de substâncias presentes nos órgãos vegetativos. Características como idioblastos oleíferos, estrutura foliar dorsiventral, estômatos tetracíticos, tricomas unicelulares e presença de cristais prismáticos foram comuns entre as espécies de Renealmia estudadas, revelando-se significativas para a família. Foram identificados caracteres distintivos nos órgãos vegetativos das três espécies, como distribuição celular do floema radicular, cobertura do tecido dos rizomas, diferentes tipos e distribuição de idioblastos e tricomas fenólicos tanto nos rizomas quanto nas folhas, presença ou ausência de pecíolo, além da camada subepidérmica na região intercostal das folhas. Destaca-se também a importância do conteúdo mineral como característica diagnóstica do gênero Renealmia. Este estudo proporciona um avanço no conhecimento das características anatômicas distintivas das três espécies de Renealmia em diferentes ambientes, tanto na Floresta Atlântica quanto na Floresta Amazônica. 7 rizomatosas neotropicais metabólitos Brasil nicolaioides Amazônica Acre chrysotricha Janeiro vegetal oleíferos dorsiventral tetracíticos estudadas revelandose revelando se família radicular folhas pecíolo Destacase Destaca ambientes

Abstract The present work aimed to isolate secondary metabolites from Myrcia insularis Gardner (Myrtaceae) wood and to evaluate the anti-Candida activity and further extracts obtained by partition and the respective main isolated compounds. Wood was collected in a Seasonal Semideciduous Forest remnant of the Atlantic Forest of northern Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Chromatographic and spectrographic techniques were used to isolate and identify secondary metabolites. Methanol extract inhibited the growth of Candida buinensis and Candida tropicalis, with inhibition being approximately 82% for the latter. The main compound isolated from the ethyl acetate partitions was arjunolic acid, a triterpene. The antimicrobial activity was first observed with the wood metabolites of M. insularis adds to our understanding of the antifungal properties of this species and other species within the Myrtaceae family, including the presence of arjunolic acid, which may play a role in this activity.

The success of sexual plant reproduction is directly influenced by specific interactions between the pollen and pistil. Light, fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy techniques were used to evaluate the steps of pollination in sour passion fruit plants (Passiflora edulis Sims). In the compatible interaction, pollen tubes grow through stigma projections towards the ovary. The pollen grain surface was found to be spheroidal and to consist of heteroreticulate exine with six colpi. Furthermore, analysis in vivo of pollen-pistil interactions indicated that stigmas of flowers 24 hours before anthesis are unable to discriminate compatible (genetically unrelated) and incompatible (genetically related) pollen grains. Taken together, these results provide insight into the cellular mechanisms underlying pollination in passion fruit plants.

ABSTRACT Aspects of leaf anatomy and micromorphology of Galium hypocarpium, Guettarda viburnoides and Posoqueria latifolia (Rubiaceae) were analyzed through light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy in order to provide support for the family taxonomy and to assist in the understanding of the relationship between the environmental features of the Atlantic Forest. The tested species showed ornamented cuticle and thin film of wax adaxial surface. G. hypocarpium abaxial surface presented striated cuticle, while P. latifolia cuticular ornamentation was present only in the stomata. Trichomes were observed in both surfaces, except for P. latifolia. and G. viburnoides, which presented abaxial surfaces covered with uniseriate trichomes containing prismatic crystals. The studied species are hypostomatic with paracytic stomata and collateral vascular system surrounded by parenchymatic bundle sheath cells; except for G. viburnoides, whose bundle sheath extends to the adaxial epidermis face. Secretory cells with lipid content were observed in the abaxial epidermis of G. hypocarpium. The species showed mostly mesomorphic anatomy, several defense mechanisms such as trichomes, and secretory structures related to the environment of the Atlantic Forest.

RESUMO Aspectos da micromorfologia e da anatomia foliar de Galium hypocarpium, Guettarda viburnoides e Posoqueria latifolia (Rubiaceae) do Parque Nacional do Itatiaia-RJ foram analisados por microscopia óptica e eletrônica de varredura, com o objetivo de fornecer subsídios para a taxonomia da família, bem como auxiliar na compreensão da relação dos caracteres com o ambiente de Floresta Atlântica. As espécies observadas apresentam superfície adaxial sem ornamentações cuticulares e fino filme de cera. A superfície abaxial de G. hypocarpium apresenta cutícula estriada enquanto P. latifolia apresenta ornamentações cuticulares apenas nos estômatos. Tricomas tectores são observados em ambas as superfícies, exceto em P. latifolia. G. viburnoides, que possui superfície abaxial coberta por tricomas unisseriados contendo cristais prismáticos. Células secretoras com conteúdo lipídico são observadas na epiderme abaxial de G. hypocarpium. As espécies estudadas são hipoestomáticas com estômatos do tipo paracítico e sistema vascular em feixes do tipo colateral envolvidos por uma bainha parenquimática; esta se prolonga até a epiderme adaxial, em G. viburnoides. As espécies estudadas mostram, em sua maioria, aspectos anatômicos mesomórficos, de acordo com as condições ambientais encontradas na Floresta Atlântica e ainda mecanismos de defesa diversos, como tricomas tectores e estruturas secretoras, correlatos ao ambiente em que vivem.

Simira is a predominantly woody Neotropical genus comprising 41 taxa, 16 of which occur in Brazil and eight of them in the southeastern region of Brazil. Leaf blades of Simira eliezeriana Peixoto, S. glaziovii (K. Schum.) Steyerm., S. grazielae Peixoto, S. pikia (K. Schum.) Steyerm., S. rubra (Mart.) Steyerm., S. sampaioana (Standl.) Steyerm.were collected in the southeastern region of Brazil and fixed according to usual methods for light and electron microscopy. The leaf blades show typical characteristics of the Rubiaceae family as dorsiventral mesophyll and paracytic stomata. The presence of two bundle sheaths that extend to the upper epidermal layer, prismatic crystal and crystal-sand, alkaloids in the mesophyll and the organization micromorphological of the outer periclinal wall are considered characteristics representative for the genus. This study also demonstrates some leaf blade characteristics that can be used to Simira species identification (leaf surface, domatia types, epicuticular wax types and patterns of epidermis anticlinal cell walls).