ABSTRACT The development of scaly buds (= cataphylls) has been traditionally associated with seasonally cold climates, although only few species from the southern hemisphere were investigated in this regard. The present work focuses on apical and axillary buds of seven tree species native to the South-American Temperate Rainforests (STR). Due to differences in the lineages from which these species derived, high levels of inter-specific variation in bud structure were expected. Apical and axillary buds were dissected under stereomicroscope, and the sizes of their parent shoots were evaluated. Cataphylls and leaf primordia were counted, and the presence of colleters and/or trichomes registered. Both intra- and inter-specific variations in bud structure were found. The apical buds were scaly in two out of seven species, and naked in the other species. Axillary buds were scaly in all but one species. In general terms, larger shoots developed buds with more organs. The presence of colleters (in four species) was not restricted to those buds lacking an outer cover of cataphylls. Further studies should focus on the relevance at a broader scale of colleters and trichomes as protective structures in tree buds.

ABSTRACT Baru tree (Dipteryx alata) is an arboreal, fruitful plant native to the Cerrado biome with an important socioeconomic impact. Populations of this species are a good model to study anthropogenic disturbances on the biome through the genetic information. In this study, we developed seven new polymorphic microsatellite markers for D. alata, using an enriched genomic library. We performed loci characterization in three populations, obtaining a total of 49 alleles, with an average of 5 to 5.57 alleles per locus. A significant content of polymorphic information was obtained, as indicated by the average expected heterozygosity (uHE), with a total average of 0.58 to 0.65 per locus. The average value of the observed heterozygosity (Ho) was also high, with a total average of 0.73 to 0.85 per locus. Some of the loci are in linkage disequilibrium, such as DalatG6 with DalatB3, DalatH3 and DalatB4. The estimate of the combined loci for the probability of paternity exclusion obtained an average value of 1.00 for all loci, and the average combined probability of identity, the values were (1.210^-5) to (4.410^-6). All markers are informative and suitable for studies on genetic diversity and population structure, aiming at the conservation and management of the species.

ABSTRACT Microsatellites are short sequence repeats that make up the genomes of eukaryotes and prokaryotes. They are of great importance as DNA markers for studies in several fields of genetics. In the present review, we searched for studies published in the five years period of 2017 to 2021 regarding the use of microsatellites in studies with forest tree species from the Brazilian biomes, in order to examine the importance of these markers for forest resources conservation. We searched scientific papers in journals indexed on the Scopus and Web of Science databases. There were found 38 peer reviewed articles that used microsatellites in the Brazilian biomes. The Atlantic Forest was the biome with more studies (35.9 %) and most of the studies were published in 2018 (34.2 %). In addition, most of the studied species belonged to the Fabaceae family (34.2 %). The conclusions and recommendations made in these studies ratify the great contribution of microsatellite markers in the conservation of native forest species in Brazilian biomes.

ABSTRACT Diploschistes pakistanicus sp. nov. is described from the Himalayan moist temperate forest, Pakistan. ITS sequences confirm its position within the genus Diploschistes and, together with its morphology and chemistry, suggest that it is separate from other species of this genus. The taxon is characterized by grey to greyish white pruinose thallus, perithecioid-type ascomata, small apothecia 0.1‒0.4 mm wide, hypothecium 20‒25µm thick, ascus of 85‒110 × 9‒17 µm in size, 3‒5 transverse and 2‒4 longitudinal septa in large ascospores 42‒55 × 18‒30; also differing from related species in ITS region.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to identify plant species visited by Apis mellifera L. in honey producing areas with typical Caatinga vegetation in the State of Bahia, as well as morphologically characterize pollen grains of the most representative species. Flowering specimens were collected from both areas, herborized, identified and deposited at the HUNEB herbarium. Analyses of floristic similarities were performed between eleven municipalities close to the study areas. Pollen was collected from all specimens, acetolyzed, measured, statistically analyzed, morphologically described, and photographed in light microscopy. Of the total of species recorded, 67.46 % were regarded as having beekeeping importance, with the richest botanical families being Fabaceae, Malvaceae and Asteraceae. Additionally, 37.5 % of the recorded species were herbs. The analyzed municipalities showed 84 % of floristic similarity. Of the total species recorded with visits by A. mellifera, 25.52 % had their pollen grains already described in the literature as monads, tetrads and polyads; isopolar, apolar and heteropolar; and mostly prolate spheroidal shape. Sizes varied from small to large, and the amb circular was predominant. The exine ornamentation was greatly diversified, varying from psilate to echinate. The obtained data corroborate the palynological knowledge of plants regarded as having beekeeping importance within the Caatinga.

Abstract A new species of Annonaceae, Duguetia leucotricha M.L.Bazante & Maas, from lowland to submontane forests of southern Bahia, Brazil, is described. It differs from other species of the genus mainly by the dense greyish white stellate hairs on vegetative and reproductive structures, rather widely-spaced flowers, the large bract in the upper part of the well-developed pedicel, sepals and petals almost equal in length, and the few-carpellate fruits with rounded apex of the areoles. Commentaries concerning its morphological aspects and relationships of affinity, geographic distribution, conservation status and photos are provided, as well as a key to all Atlantic Coastal Forest species of Duguetia.

ABSTRACT A new species of Mahabalella B. Sutton & S. D. Patil was isolated from decaying leaves of an unidentified plant, during a survey in the Charles Darwin Ecological Refuge in Igarassu, Pernambuco, Brazil, in June 2018. The new species is morphologically distinguishable from the other Mahabalella species by the size of their conidia, conidiogenous cells and setae. In this study, the morphological descriptions, illustrations and cultural characteristics for Mahabalella pernambucana are provided, as well as a key to species of this genus. Total DNA from the isolate was extracted, and four genes were partially sequenced (nLSU, ITS cluster, TEF1 alpha, and beta tubulin). Based on the nLSU analysis, the phylogenetic position of the new species was determined within the Sordariomycetes, Ascomycota, as a sister genus to Neotracylla, in the Tracyllaceae family.

ABSTRACT Stachytarpheta is the second largest genus of Verbenaceae, mainly distributed in xeric habitats of South America. The morphological revision of South American specimens clarified the taxonomic identity of three previously accepted species from informal group Gesnerioides: S. sprucei (from the Amazon Forest domain), S. alata, and S. tomentosa (from the Atlantic Forest domain). A new taxonomic arrangement is proposed here, with the synonymization of S. alata and S. tomentosa under S. sprucei. Consequently, the newly circumscribed S. sprucei evidences a remarkable geographic disjunction, with populations separated by the Caatinga, Cerrado, and Chaco domains (the South American dry diagonal). It inhabits inselbergs, tepuis, and savannas in the Amazon Forest domain, and top of inselbergs surrounded by forest in the Atlantic Forest domain. A detailed species description, taxonomic comments, a geographic distribution map, photos of living specimens, and an identification key to the species from the Gesnerioides group are included.

ABSTRACT Within the last decades, phytoplankton biomass has significantly risen in many lakes worldwide. Global warming was proposed as the most probable cause of the discovered effect. In this work, attention was paid to other drivers than just global warming, in particular, variability in solar radiation to explain this unexpected diatom shift. Here, we use a combination of paleolimnological, dendrochronological and meteorological datasets, as well as local pollution information, to analyze the recent growth of diatom total abundance in Lake Rabbvatnet (69.7º N, 30.5º E, Northern Norway). The results show that the diatoms of the genus Aulacoseira were most abundant in the top layers of the sediment core. On the contrary, the biomass of small-sized Cyclotella species, which, as a rule, should grow simultaneously with warming, has decreased over the past decades. We suggest basing on the experimental data analysis (comparison of diatom abundance with solar irradiance and heavy metals, testing of air temperature trends) that the recent growth of the total diatom abundance observed in the subarctic Rabbvatnet Lake could be mainly due to an increase in photosynthetically active spectral solar irradiance fluxes in the visible and infrared ranges.

ABSTRACT Myrtaceae has ca. 6,000 species, distributed into 140 genera with Pantropical distribution. The family is one of the five most representative flowering plants in species richness in Brazilian restinga and is also of great importance for the maintenance of the ecological cycles of this vegetation. However, few studies focus on Myrtaceae in restinga, mainly in the State of Bahia, which has the country's largest coastal extension. This study aims to present the first taxonomic study of Myrtaceae from the restinga of the State of Bahia, Brazil. A total of 10 field trips were performed from September 2016 to April 2019, and the most relevant herbaria of Brazil were consulted. A total of eight genera and 85 species of Myrtaceae were identified in the Bahian restinga. Myrcia was the most representative genus with 42 species, followed by Eugenia (23 spp.), Psidium (seven spp.), Campomanesia (five spp.), Myrciaria (four spp.), Neomitranthes (two spp.), and Blepharocalyx and Calycolpus (a single species each). Two of them represented new species to science, and four presented the first records to the studied area. The distribution patterns among the Brazilian biomes and the restinga phytophysiognomies are discussed, also a checklist, identification keys, and photographic plates are provided.

ABSTRACT Global climate change is currently a serious threat to biodiversity. The understanding of the effects of climate changes on the flora is urgent. Here, we analyze the effects of future climate change on the spatial distribution of the three remaining groups of Carapichea ipecacuanha (Poaia) in the Americas. We built niche-based models for current and optimistic and pessimistic climate scenarios projected for 2050 and 2090. Our findings showed that climatically suitable areas for the Atlantic and Amazon Forest groups will be strongly reduced. The greatest risk of extinction was observed for the Amazon group due to the drastic spatial reduction and abrupt spatial displacement of climate suitability. The climate suitability for the Atlantic Forest group will be reduced, comprising a small suitable area in the transition zone between Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo. The climate suitability for the Panama group remained in an continuous region in Panama and Colombia. Our results encourage future studies that develop conservation management plans in order to ensure the continuation of ecological refugia for this species.

ABSTRACT Nicotiana azambujae is an endemic species from Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil, that was described in 1964 and has not been seen since then. During fieldwork, we found a population in Alto Matador, about 70 km from the presumable type collection, after 73 years of its last known collection. Thus, we bring the first in vivo pictures of this species, assess its conservation status, update the morphologic description and discuss its habitat preferences. Also, we discuss a possible mistake in the type of voucher label from the originally collected locality.

ABSTRACT Intra-annual distribution of precipitation in central Amazonia often leads to a short mild dry season and an increase in irradiance, temperature, and vapor pressure deficit; however, the accurate effect of intra-annual microclimatic variability on stem growth is still under investigation. The objective of this study was to determine how stem growth responds to monthly variations in microclimatic factors in the central Amazon. During five years (2008-2012) we measured diameter stem growth of 109 trees (26 species) and used principal component regression to evaluate the effect of microclimatic variability on stem growth in diameter. We found that the mean stem growth in diameter across species increased in response to an increase in rainfall and reference evapotranspiration, but it decreased with a rise in mean and minimum vapor pressure deficit. A contribution of this study is to show that even when irradiance and temperature had no significant effect on stem growth, small changes in vapor pressure deficit significantly affect stem growth. If the dry season becomes longer, as predicted by models, trees currently more sensitive to microclimatic variability associated with droughts would be the most affected by climate changes.

ABSTRACT A new species of Petunia (Solanaceae) is described and illustrated for the Brazilian flora. Petunia toropiensis Stehmann & Larocca is known only from a few sites along the middle Toropi river basin, in the central region of the Rio Grande do Sul state. The new species is easily recognizable by its erect or ascending habit, infundibuliform corolla with yellow tube and purple limb, yellow pollen, and erect peduncle in fruiting. The species was assessed as Critically Endangered due to the narrow geographic distribution, the few populations known, and the loss of habitat quality. A key for identification of Petunia species from Rio Grande do Sul is given. We also discuss the impact of the dams on the populations of the new species and the conservation efforts needed.

Abstract Dalechampia seccoi is a new endemic species of Euphorbiaceae from the Atlantic Forest domain, southeastern Brazil. Here we describe and illustrate the new species. Collections of botanical material, and standard herbarium practices were applied. The new species is vegetatively similar to D. alata, D. erythrostyla, D. pentaphylla, D. violacea, and D. purpurata, however it is distinguished by exclusive characters such as involucral bracts 4‒5-lobed, pinkish, staminate sepals vinaceous, resin darkish and stigma yellow lobed to crateriform. The new species is restricted to Seasonal Semideciduous Forest with altitudes of ca. 700 m from Caparaó, south of the state of Espírito Santo. In addition, we provide field photographs, preliminary conservation status assessments using IUCN Red List guidelines, as well as a checklist and key for morphological correlated species.