Asteraceae from the Ecoregion Raso da Catarina, Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

The Asteraceae represent the third largest family of flowering plants in Brazil comprising 2.070 species distributed in 280 genera. Raso da Catarina is an ecoregion in the Caatinga domain characterized by warm and dry climate and a schruby xeric vegetation. The current study aims (1) to survey the Asteraceae flora in Raso da Catarina; (2) to discuss environmental occurrence and (3) to provide an identification key. Samples were collected during 17 monthly expeditions from April/2012 to August/2013 and analyzed in the following herbaria collections: ALCB, BAH, CEPEC, HRB, HUEFS and HUNEB. The family was represented in the region by 52 species, 42 genera and 14 tribes. In order of richness, the local diversity of Asteraceae is presented by the tribes: Vernonieae (11 spp.), Heliantheae (10 spp.), Eupatorieae (9 spp.), Tageteae (5 spp.), Astereae (4 spp.), Senecioneae (3 spp.), Gnaphalieae, and Millerieae (2 spp.), Cichorieae, Coriopsideae, Gochnatieae, Inuleae, Nassauvieae e Neurolaene (1 spp.) each. The most representative genera were Lepidaploa, Pectis and Trichogonia, with three species each. Seven species are endemic to Caatinga. The herbaceous habit is predominant among the species, which occurs mainly in less schruby open caatinga.

Key words:
caatinga; Compositae; floristic; semiarid