Compositae of Brazil
Paralychnophora sp. (Vernonieae) - a possible new species from the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Photo: D.J.N. Hind.
The Compositae are one of the largest plant families in Brazil with approximately 3,000 species, many of which play significant economic and ecological roles such as food plants, medicines and ornamentals. In some higher altitude vegetation types they can make up as much as 15% of the flora. The Compositae of Brazil project is focused on the development of taxonomic knowledge and information resources for this extremely important plant group, whilst building in-country capacity for continued research.
Long-term studies are working towards a series of tribal checklists for the family in Brazil, selected accounts for the Flora of Bahia (in collaboration with a small number of researchers in the state), and selected tribal accounts for the Flora of São Paulo State (Senecioneae, Astereae, Lactuceae, Anthemideae, and Mikania in the Eupatorieae). Recent checklists include the Compositae of NE Brazil and the Compositae of semi-arid regions of Brazil. A checklist of the Compositae of NE Brazil (as represented by the herbarium collections of RBG, Kew), derived from analysis of the data from the Repatriation of Herbarium Data for Northeastern Brazil project, will be submitted for publication in 2006, backed by an internet database of the material represented in Kew’s herbarium collections. The data accumulated in these checklists will be used as the basis for evaluations of species conservation status, endemism and biodiversity richness in the region.
Global studies of the accounts for the tribes Mutisieae and Eupatorieae, the latter in conjunction with H. Robinson of US, are also contributing to this project. These accounts are expected to be published in 2007.
Capacity-building activities include supervision of PhD students and reviewing/refereeing of manuscripts submitted to Brazilian journals. Dr Nicholas Hind is currently supervising one PhD student from the Departamento de Botânica, Universidade de São Paulo: Benoit Loeuille (the Eremanthus group, tribe Vernonieae). A former student from USP, Mara Margenta (Viguiera, tribe Heliantheae) successfully defended her PhD in March 2006.
Project Team
Project Leader: Hind, Nicholas
Herbarium
Nicholas Hind
Project Partners and Collaborators
Brazil
Universidade de São Paulo