Reproductive Biology in the Possible Last Healthy Population of (Cactaceae): Perspectives to Avoid Its Extinction.

All 32 Brazilian species of Speg (Cactaceae) occurring in Rio Grande do Sul State are considered threatened, according to the IUCN criteria. Until 2021, (CR) was known by only two small populations. However, a new population with over 400 individuals was discovered in 2021, prompting the study of its reproductive biology as a way to promote its conservation.

Reproductive biology as a tool to elucidate taxonomic delimitation: How different can two highly specialized subspecies of Parodia haselbergii (cactaceae) be?

Reproductive isolation is one of the mechanisms of speciation. The two currently accepted subspecies of Parodia haselbergii (P. haselbergii subsp.

Pollination Ecology, Breeding System, and Conservation of Deble & Marchiori (Arecaceae): A Useful Dwarf Palm Tree from the Pampa.

The Dwarf Palm, Deble & Marchiori, is an endangered species endemic to the Pampa biome and typically grows in sandy and rocky soils. Given its economic, ecological, and cultural relevance, it is crucial to understand the ecology and biology of this species to encourage its preservation and highlight its significance for the Pampa. This study aims to investigate whether this palm relies on animal vectors for pollination, analyze its breeding system, and propose strategies for its conservation and sustainable use.

Gametophytic self-incompatibility in Maxillariinae orchids.

Gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) has been mainly described in species-rich clades within Orchidaceae. We report GSI for a genus within Maxillariinae, one of the most conspicuous and diverse subtribes of neotropical orchids. Here, we describe the reproductive system of Brasiliorchis picta, B.

Contrasting Pollination Strategies and Breeding Systems in Two Native Useful Cacti from Southern Brazil.

Brazil is one of the centers of diversity of Cactaceae, yet studies addressing both pollination biology and the breeding system in Brazilian cacti are scarce. We herein present a detailed analysis of two native species with economic relevance: and . The first species produce edible, sweet, spineless fruits and the second species produces leaves with high protein content.

Pollination in Hook. (Orchidaceae: Laeliinae): Fraudulent Trap-Flowers, Self-Incompatibility, and a Possible New Type of Mimicry.

The pollination and the breeding system of (Orchidaceae: Laeliinae) were studied through fieldwork and controlled pollinations in cultivated plants. Pollination is exclusively promoted by males of diurnal Lepidoptera: five species of Arctiinae and four of Ithomiinae were recorded as pollinators. These male insects are known to obtain alkaloids (through the nectar) in flowers of Asteraceae and Boraginaceae.

Atlantic flower-invertebrate interactions: A data set of occurrence and frequency of floral visits.

Encounters between flowers and invertebrates are key events for the functioning of tropical forests. Assessing the structure of networks composed of the interactions between those partners leads to a better understanding of ecosystem functioning and the effects of environmental factors on ecological processes. Gathering such data is, however, costly and time-consuming, especially in the highly diverse tropics.

ATLANTIC EPIPHYTES: a data set of vascular and non-vascular epiphyte plants and lichens from the Atlantic Forest.

Epiphytes are hyper-diverse and one of the frequently undervalued life forms in plant surveys and biodiversity inventories. Epiphytes of the Atlantic Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world, have high endemism and radiated recently in the Pliocene. We aimed to (1) compile an extensive Atlantic Forest data set on vascular, non-vascular plants (including hemiepiphytes), and lichen epiphyte species occurrence and abundance; (2) describe the epiphyte distribution in the Atlantic Forest, in order to indicate future sampling efforts.

Synopsis of Dorstenia (Moraceae) in Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil.

A taxonomic synopsis of Dorstenia (Moraceae) in Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Southern Brazil, is presented. Three species were recorded: D. brasiliensis, D.