Araujo 2015 (Conference Paper) Brazil

A guide to bromeliad identification in the Cantareira State Park, SP, Brazil

Author(s):—Camila Correia Araujo & Maria das Graças Lapa Wanderley in Benko-Iseppon, A.M.; Alves, M. & Louzada, R. (2015) An overview and abstracts of the First World Congress on Bromeliaceae Evolution. Rodriguésia 66(2): A1-A66.

Publication:— (2015).

Abstract:—Bromeliaceae has a relevant role as one of the main floristic components of physiognomies of Brazilian ecosystems. Nowadays, it represents about 3,300 species in 58 genera, figures constantly grow due to ongoing discoveries and taxonomic reviews. The family has a Neotropical distribution (except for Pitcairnia feliciana (A.Chev.) Harms & Mildbr., found on the African Continent) and two centers of diversity: northern Andes and eastern Brazil, which is mostly covered by Mata Atlântica, a biome in which about 900 bromeliad species are recorded. Used for a variety of purposes, for food, fibers, medicines and ornamentation, Bromeliaceae is cultivated, highly commercialized and has its diversity threatened by indiscriminate harvesting in its natural environment or by the loss of its habitat due to deforestation. The knowledge and disclosure of the high diversity of Brazilian bromeliads are extremely important, whether making the beauty of native plants available to the general public, or contributing to the preservation of the Brazilian flora. The study of Bromeliaceae from Parque Estadual da Cantareira proposed herein aims to provide subsidies for conservation policy of protected areas. The Park has 7,916 hectares, has been created with the purpose of protecting one of the remaining tracts of Mata Atlântica from the State of São Paulo and covers the municipalities of São Paulo, Guarulhos, Caieiras and Mairiporã. The objective of the proposal is to prepare a field identification guide for the Park?s Bromeliaceae, which, besides servicing the general public, shall provide data for recognizing the flora from this region. The identification guide for bromeliads shall contribute to the on-going floristic studiesin the Park and in other areas of Mata Atlântica. The book shall have a pocket size, in order to facilitate its use in the field and it shall contain photographs of the habits and vegetative and reproductive details, with brief descriptions, comments on distribution and phenology of species, in addition to the category of threat according to the analysis of the populations in the natural environment. Research has already begun with the surveying of herbaria and based on speciesLink, with the inclusion of new collections carried out recently in the region. The samples collected are stored in SP herbarium, being georeferenced and photographed for illustration in the guide. Until now, species of Aechmea Ruiz & Pav., Billbergia Thunb., Canistrum E. Morren,Tillandsia L. and Vriesea Lindl have been registered. Among these is included Vriesea vulpinoidea L.B.Sm.,a species with restricted distribution to the Atlantic rainforest formations of the states of São Paulo and Santa Catarina and which has very few records.

Keywords:—Bromeliaceae; Field Guide; Atlantic Forest.