Verbesina (Asteraceae: Heliantheae) from Brasil

Abstract

Verbesina is an American genus of about 300 species with greater diversity in Mexico and the Andes. It is constituted by subshrubs and tree representatives, of alternate to opposite leaves, with entire to pinatipartids blades, capitulescence corymboid, capitulae discoid or radiated and cypselas winged and aristate.The objectives of this study were to perform the survey of the Brazilian Verbesina species, evaluate their circumscriptions and contribute to their knowledge through the presentation of descriptions, illustrations, identification key and ecological and taxonomic comments. The field survey and the study of herbarium specimens allowed the recognition of nine species for Brazil, occurring throughout the country, except for the North region, in environments of riparian and altitude forests. Five of the nine species of Verbesina (V. baccharifolia, V. bipinnatifida, V. floribunda, V. luetzelburgii and V. nicotianifolia) are exclusive to Brazil, with V. baccharifolia and V. luetzelburgii endemic to Bahia. Verbesina bipinnatifida is recorded for the first time for the Espírito Santo and V. subdiscoidea for Mato Grosso do Sul.

Key words:
Biodiversity; Compositae; Floristic