LAST UPDATED IN 30.09.2024
When comparing the flora of the great botanical powers in the New World, Brazil takes the lead in species and genera. However, in families there is a notable disadvantage. In Brazilian numbers, both Mexico and Colombia have at least 7.6% more families than Brazil. Here, we point out how this number could be reversed or decreased.
A. ATUAL SCENARY
COLOMBIA
Three unbrazilian orders occur in Colombia: Fagales, Huertales (2:2/10), and Desfontainiales (1:2/2). Brazil no has uncolombian orders. Colombia has 11 spp. of Fagales in 7 genera at 4 families, 5 in Morella, and Quercus, Trigonobalanus, Juglans, Alfaroa, Oreomunnea, and Alnus one sp. each.
Colombia has 27 families of Angiosperms that do not occur in Brazil ((34/)93 spp.):
Fagaceae (2/2), Betulaceae (1/1), Juglandaceae (3/3), Myricaceae (1/5), Collumeliaceae (2/2), Dipentodontaceae (1/7), Tapisciaceae (1/3), Polemoniaceae (2/3), Montiaceae (2/5), Actinidiaceae (1/34), Grossulariaceae (1/9), Dipterocarpaceae (1/1), Cytinaceae (1/1), Hydrangeaceae (1/3), Phyllonomaceae (1/1), Papaveraceae (1/2), Nelumbonaceae (1/1), Hamamelidaceae (1/1), Mitrastemonaceae (1/1), Alzateaceae (1/1), Namaceae (1/1), Phrymaceae (2/2), Peltantheracae (1/1), Cornaceae (1/1), Tovariaceae (1/1), Coriariaceae (1/1), and Tetrachondraceae (1/1).
Tetrachondraceae, with only Polypremum procumbens, apparently known from a single collection. Mitrastemonaceae is known in Colombia from a single locality.
In contrast, 12 Brazilian families do not occur in Colombia: Hydnoraceae, Calyceraceae, Canellaceae, Quillajaceae, Nartherciaceae, Francoaceae, Cistaceae, Sarraceniaceae, Gelsemiaceae, Hydrophyllaceae, Goodeniaceae and Griseliniaceae.
MEXICO
4 unbrazilian orders occur in Mexico: Fagales, Huertales (2:2/3), Austrobayleiaceae (1:2/2) and Garryales (1:1/9). Brazil has only two unmexican orders: Cardiopteridales (2:2/10) and Escalloniales (1:1/9).
Mexico has 51 families of Angiosperms that do not occur in Brazil (123/680), 29 occur in South America¹ (93/592), and 22 do not² (30/88):
¹Tovariaceae (1/1), Phyllonomaceae (1/1), Coriariaceae (1/1), Nelumbonaceae (1/1), Cytinaceae (1/3), Mitrastemonaceae (1/1), Actinidiaceae (1/21), Hydrangeaceae (6/36), Tapisciaceae (1/1), Dipentodontaceae (1/2), Melanthiaceae (4/36), Grossulariaceae (1/23), Juglandaceae (4/14), Saxifragaceae (4/20), Fagaceae (2/138), Betulaceae (4/6), Polemoniaceae (22/105), Cornaceae (1/4), Koeberliniaceae (1/1), Tetrachondraceae (1/1), Zosteraceae (2/3), Hamamelidaceae (3/3), Frankeniaceae (1/5), Papaveraceae (10/44), Phrymaceae (7/48), Myricaceae (1/3), Montiaceae (5/27), Anacampserotaceae (1/1) and Namaceae (4/46).
²Balsaminaceae (1/1), Nyssaceae (1/1), Setchellanthaceae (1/1), Sarcobataceae (1/1), Fouquieriaceae (1/11), Simmondisiaceae (1/1), Crossossomataceae (3/5), Stegnospermataceae (1/3), Guamatelaceae (1/1), Petenaeaceae (1/1), Plocospermataceae (1/1), Ticodendraceae (1/1), Resedaceae (2/10), Datiscaceae (1/1), Paeoniaceae (1/1), Saururaceae (2/2), Platanaceae (1/5), Schisandraceae (2/2), Liliaceae (4/26), Garryaceae (1/9), Altingiaceae (1/1, Liquidambar) and Iteaceae (1/3, Pterostemon).
In contrast, 34 Brazilian families do not occur in Mexico: Hydnoraceae, Tofiediaceae, Nartherciaceae, Xanthorrhoeaceae, Taccaceae, Thismiaceae, Velloziaceae, Rapateaceae, Thurniaceae, Strelitziaceae, Anisophylleaceae, Humiriaceae, Peridiscaceae, Lepidobotryceae, Quillajaceae, Euphroniaceae, Goupiaceae, Caryocaraceae, Ixonanthaceae, Bonnetiaceae, Vivianiaceae, Rhabdodendraceae, Microteaceae, Strobosiaceae, Aptandraceae, Coulaceae, Olacaceae, Tetrameristaceae, Sarraceniaceae, Cardiopteridaceae, Stemonuraceae, Calyceraceae, Escalloniaceae and Griseliniaceae.
B. SPLITS
One option would be the botanical breakdowns to be incorporated into the future and fictitious APG VI. Here we highlight some:
Nyctaginaceae: Reichenbachiaceae.
Solanaceae: Duckeodendronaceae, Schizanthaceae and Goetzeaceae.Celastraceae: Parnassiaceae.Primulaceae: Theophrastaceae, Samolaceae and Myrsinaceae.Santalaceae: Amphorogynaceae, Cervanthesiaceae, Comandraceae, Nanodeaceae, Thesiaceae and Viscaceae.Asparagaceae: Agavaceae, Anthericaceae, Herreriaceae, Hyacinthaceae, Laxmaniaceae, Themidaceae and Ruscaceae.
These splits would create 21 new families, bringing the number of angiosperm families of 437 to 458.
Specifically the fragmentation of Asparagaceae s.l. and taking into account only Brazil, Mexico and Colombia: Themidaceae, Asparagaceae s.s. and Ruscaceae occur only in Mexico; Hyacinthaceae, Herreriaceae and Laxmanniaceae occur only in Brazil; Anthericaceae and Agavaceae occur in all three countries.
Brazil wins 15 (Reichenbachiaceae, Duckeodendronaceae, Goetzeaceae, Parnassiaceae, Theophrasthaceae, Samolaceae, Myrsinaceae, Thesiaceae, Cervantesiaceae, Viscaceae, Agavaceae, Anthericaceae, Herreriaceae, Hyacinthaceae, Laxmaniaceae) and loss two (Asparagaceae, Primulaceae). Total Brazil: 237 + 15 - 2 = 250.
Colombia wins 7 (Reichenbachiaceae, Theophrastaceae, Myrsinaceae, Cervantesiaceae, Viscaceae, Agavaceae, Anthericaceae) and also loses the same two from Brazil. Total Colombia: 252 + 7 - 2 = 257.
Mexico wins 10 (Parnassiaceae, Theophrasthaceae, Samolaceae, Myrsinaceae, Comandraceae, Viscaceae, Agavaceae, Anthericaceae, Themidaceae, Ruscaceae) and no loses none name. Total Mexico: 254 + 10 - 0 = 264.
The differences would drop from 7 for Colombia and 14 for Mexico.
C. NEW SCENARY
COLOMBIA
Colombia has 27 families of Angiosperms that do not occur in Brazil (34/94):
Fagaceae (2/2), Betulaceae (1/1), Juglandaceae (3/3), Myricaceae (1/5), Collumeliaceae (2/2), Dipentodontaceae (1/7), Tapisciaceae (1/3), Polemoniaceae (2/3), Montiaceae (2/5), Actinidiaceae (1/34), Grossulariaceae (1/9), Dipterocarpaceae (1/1), Cytinaceae (1/1), Hydrangeaceae (1/3), Phyllonomaceae (1/1), Papaveraceae (1/2), Nelumbonaceae (1/1), Hamamelidaceae (1/1), Mitrastemonaceae (1/1), Alzateaceae (1/1), Namaceae (1/1), Phrymaceae (2/2), Peltantheracae (1/1), Cornaceae (1/1), Tovariaceae (1/1), Coriariaceae (1/1) and Tetrachondraceae (1/1).
In contrast, 20 Brazilian families do not occur in Colombia: Hydnoraceae, Canellaceae, Nartherciaceae, Herreriaceae, Hyacinthaceae, Laxmaniaceae, Quillajaceae, Parnassicaae, Francoaceae, Cistaceae, Thesiaceae, Samolaceae, Sarraceniaceae, Duckeodendraceae, Goetzeaceae, Gelsemiaceae, Hydrophyllaceae, Calyceraceae, Goodeniaceae and Griseliniaceae.
MEXICO
4 unbrazilian orders occur in Mexico: Fagales (see below), Huertales (2:2/3), Austrobayleiaceae (1:2/2) and Garryales (1:1/9). Brazil has only two unmexican orders: Cardiopteridales (2:2/10) and Escalloniales (1:1/9).
Mexico has 56 families of Angiosperms that do not occur in Brazil (127/693 + Themidaceae + Ruscaceae), 30 occur in South America¹ (95/599), and 26 do not² (32/94 + Themidaceae + Ruscaceae):
¹Primulaceae (2/7, Androsace, Primula), Tovariaceae (1/1), Phyllonomaceae (1/1), Coriariaceae (1/1), Nelumbonaceae (1/1), Cytinaceae (1/3), Mitrastemonaceae (1/1), Actinidiaceae (1/21), Hydrangeaceae (6/36), Tapisciaceae (1/1), Dipentodontaceae (1/2), Melanthiaceae (4/36), Grossulariaceae (1/23), Juglandaceae (4/14), Saxifragaceae (4/20), Fagaceae (2/138), Betulaceae (4/6), Polemoniaceae (22/105), Cornaceae (1/4), Koeberliniaceae (1/1), Tetrachondraceae (1/1), Zosteraceae (2/3), Hamamelidaceae (3/3), Frankeniaceae (1/5), Papaveraceae (10/44), Phrymaceae (7/48), Myricaceae (1/3), Montiaceae (5/27), Anacampserotaceae (1/1) and Namaceae (4/46).
²Asparagaceae (1/5), Balsaminaceae (1/1), Comandraceae (1/1, Comandra), Themidaceae (), Ruscaceae (), Nyssaceae (1/1), Setchellanthaceae (1/1), Sarcobataceae (1/1), Fouquieriaceae (1/11), Simmondisiaceae (1/1), Crossossomataceae (3/5), Stegnospermataceae (1/3), Guamatelaceae (1/1), Petenaeaceae (1/1), Plocospermataceae (1/1), Ticodendraceae (1/1), Resedaceae (2/10), Datiscaceae (1/1), Paeoniaceae (1/1), Saururaceae (2/2), Platanaceae (1/5), Schisandraceae (2/2), Liliaceae (4/26), Garryaceae (1/9), Altingiaceae (1/1, Liquidambar) and Iteaceae (1/3, Pterostemon).
In contrast, 42 Brazilian families do not occur in Mexico: Reichenbachiaceae, Duckeodendronaceae, Goetzeaceae, Thesiaceae, Cervantesiaceae, Herreriaceae, Hyacinthaceae, Laxmaniaceae, Hydnoraceae, Tofiediaceae, Nartherciaceae, Xanthorrhoeaceae, Taccaceae, Thismiaceae, Velloziaceae, Rapateaceae, Thurniaceae, Strelitziaceae, Anisophylleaceae, Humiriaceae, Peridiscaceae, Lepidobotryceae, Quillajaceae, Euphroniaceae, Goupiaceae, Caryocaraceae, Ixonanthaceae, Bonnetiaceae, Vivianiaceae, Rhabdodendraceae, Microteaceae, Strobosiaceae, Aptandraceae, Coulaceae, Olacaceae, Tetrameristaceae, Sarraceniaceae, Cardiopteridaceae, Stemonuraceae, Calyceraceae, Escalloniaceae and Griseliniaceae.
D. NEW RECORDS
Many genera occur relatively close to Brazil and could be collected in the national territory. The most likely belong to three lines.
A. RIO GRANDE SUL LINE
Includes Uruguayan families absent in Brazil: Papaveraceae and Polemoniaceae. Montiaceae and Frankeniaceae are unlikely.
B. COLOMBIAN LINE
Dipterocarpaceae occurs very close to the border of Brazil, in an environment similar to downstream of large rivers. Most likely to occur in Brazil.
C. NEXT LINE
Koeberliniaceae, Corsiaceae, Tapisciaceae, Dipentodontaceae, Montiaceae, Phyllonomaceae and Actinidiaceae are families with non-zero probability of occurring in Brazil.