NEW SCENARY FOR BRAZILIAN FLORA ✅

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), Austrobayleiales (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. 

NEW WORLD ORCHIDACEAE✅

UPDATE IN 29.09.2024

PLESOM

On October 9, 2022 the VPA (SEE) listed 14,632 orchids (species, notospecies and natural hybrids) in New World, 11,740 of which in South America. Of the more than 350 genera of Orchidaceae in the hemisphere, a group of six genera stands out: the PLESOM group, formed by Pleurothallis, Lepanthes, Epidendrum, Stelis, Oncidium and Masdevallia. These genera together have 5,820 spp., about 40% of all Neotropical diversity; in South America they are 4,773 spp., which is also around 40% of the local amount.

Vanilla, Habenaria, Corymborkis, Bulbophyllum, Polystachia, Calanthe, Tropidia, Liparis, Malaxis and Eulophia are the only South American genera not restricted to New World.

By country, Brazil has the 3ª greatest diversity of orchids in the world, behind its (quasi-)neighbors Colombia and Ecuador. By the way, the national family diversity in these countries is the largest for a single family in a single country ever described. Ecuador at 2,228 of its 4,289 spp. belonging to PLESOM (52% of its national diversity); Colombia has 1,818 of its 4186 in PLESOM (43% of national diversity). Brazil has in PLESOM only 269 spp. of its 2,734 spp., less than 10%.

Excluding the PLESOM group, we have the following national diversities: Ecuador 2,061; Colombia 2,368; Brazil 2,465. The numbers show that the very high diversity of Orchidaceae in the two Andean countries is due to an explosion of diversity in the PLESOM group; outside of it, Brazil has more diversity of Orchidaceae.

OVER GENERIC DIVERSITY

All South American Orchidaceae tribes occur in Brazil except Colllabieae (20/443), which has its only South American species in Colombia (Calanthe calanthoides (A. Rich. & Galeotti) Hamer & Garay). Brazil has 203 genera, Colombia has 230 and Ecuador 217.

SOUTH AMERICAN GENERA BY GROUP; FOR BRAZIL, /BR DENOTES ABSENT GENERA; [BR] DENOTES ENDEMIC GENERA.

In the subfamilies Vanilloideae and Cipripedioideae, Brazil and Colombia have all 6 South American genera; Ecuador and Peru 5 of them (except Duckeella). In species at Brazil against Colombia, Brazil wins in Vanilloideae for 22 spp., and Colombia wins Brazil in Cipripedioideae for only one species.

In the subfamily Orchidoideae (Microchilus inc. Aspidogyne, Kreodanthus, Platythelys, Stephanothelys; Solenocentrum absent in Colombia), South America has 52 genera, Brazil and Peru have 31 each, Colombia has 30, and Ecuador has 32; national endemic genera in this subfamily occur only in Brazil (4, Espinhassoa, Thelyschista, Cotylolabium and Nothostele) and Venezuela (2, Aracamunia and Stalkya). Brazil has more Orchidioideae species than Mexico and Colombia.

Degranvillea dermaptera Datermann from French Guiana and Suriname is the only South American mycoheterotrophic orchid outside Epidendroideae.

Among Epidendroideae, the ten smaller clades (Neottieae, Sobralieae, Tropidieae, Triphoreae, Xerorchideae, Wullschaegelieae, Gastrodieae, Malaxideae, Vandeae, Collabieae) has 22 genera in South America, 21 in Colombia, 19 in Venezuela, 18 in Ecuador and 17 in Brazil.

In Epidendreae, with 70 genera in South America, Colombia has 60 genera, Ecuador 54, Venezuela 53, Peru 52, and Brazil only 51.

In Cymbidieae, South America has 145 genera; Colombia has 108, Ecuador 104, Venezuela 95, Brazil 93, and Peru 90.

SOUTH AMERICAN POACEAE ✅

UPDATE IN 29.09.2024

South America has 234 genera of Poaceae with native species in 11 of 12 subfamilies; in 7 of them Brazil has the primacy in number of genera, with these groups adding up to 136 genera on the continent, 125 in Brazil and only 11 absents: five in Bambusoideae (where Brazil has 12 endemic genera) and six in Panicoideae (Brazil with 7 endemic genera). The status of the 4 other families are detailed below.

Danthonioideae (19/285) has three genera in South America, Cortaderia Stapf. and Danthonia DC occur in Brazil; Rytidosperma Stued. occur from Malesia to Australasia, Hawaiian Islands, Easter Island and S. South America in Argentina and Chile.

Arundinoideae (11-13/35-38) is a subfamily with a single representative in the Americas, P. australis (Nees) Döll, which curiously occurs in all countries of the Hemisphere, except for the Caribbean islands, Brazil and Paraguay, this being genus probably the most distributed of all the New World genera absent in the country. None of the major platforms (POWO, VPA, WCSPF, Reflora) marks this genus in Brazil. Beauty images of this species in French Guiana can be seen at La Chaussete Rouge (SEE).

Phragmites australis is a cosmopolitan species that has strong effects on the ecosystems it inhabits; it therefore can offer valuable insights into plant responses to global change, with three welll defined lineages, possibly more (Eller et al., Frontiers, 2017); It is a robust and highly productive grass in the Poaceae family that occurs in a wide range of freshwater and brackish wetlands. GBIF shows 7 records of this species in Brazil (SEE), in SE & S Rio de Janeiro to E São Paulo states (circled in map below), also a isolated record in western region of latter states, which are marked on the more general map of the species, which strongly agrees with the maps present in POWO, if we consider all 7 records as insufficient to attest to their native status in the country. 

 

In Chloridioideae, South America has 39 genera. Argentina and Brazil lead in generic diversity, with 28 (Blepharidachne, Scleropogon, Tragus and Willkommia are highly disjuncts, Neobouteloua endemic) and 21 (Triraphis highly disjunct; three endemics), respectively.

Pooideae has 55 genera in South America, only 25 in Brazil. The highest diversity are from Argentina, with 39 genera, Chile 37, Peru 35, Bolivia 32, Colombia and Ecuador 31. For species, South America has 847 spp., only 99 in Brazil, 25 endemics.

Five lineages of Pooideae ocur in South America, four in Brazil (numbers at parenthesis): Meliceae (2/13), Stipeae (3/32), Brachypodieae (absent), Triticeae (2/5) and Poeae (18/48). Excepting Brachypodieae, all subtribes absents in Brazil belongs Poeae. 

 

Poeae has 16 subtribes in South America, nine absents in Brazil.