Open AccessFloristics of flowering plants from the understory of Atlantic remnants in central and southern Bahia, Brazil
Author(s) -
Rodrigo L. Borges,
Patrícia Alves Ferreira,
Blandina Felipe Viana,
Michel Guédès,
Nádia Roque
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of the botanical research institute of texas
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 2644-1608
pISSN - 1934-5259
DOI - 10.17348/jbrit.v11.i1.1170
Subject(s) - rainforest , melastomataceae , floristics , endemism , understory , biology , cyperaceae , biodiversity , bromeliaceae , ecology , threatened species , biome , species richness , geography , botany , poaceae , ecosystem , habitat , canopy
The Atlantic Rainforest has high species diversity and endemism and is one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world. However, the rainforest understory stratum is regarded as the least studied and understood with regards to biodiversity. The aim of our study was to develop an up-to-date checklist of flowering plants collected in 10 Atlantic Rainforest remnants in Southern Bahia, Brazil. The floristic inventory recorded 49 families, 103 genera, and 170 species. The richest families were Rubiaceae (34 spp.), Melastomataceae (16), Bromeliaceae, Poaceae (8 spp.), Cyperaceae, Erythroxylaceae, Marantaceae, Myrtaceae, and Piperaceae (7). We record 10 new state records for Bahia and two new taxonomic novelties (Bertolonia sp. nov. and Palicourea sp. nov.) were discovered. The species composition is very exclusive with 85% of species occurring in only one of the studied areas and 27% being endemic to this biome region.