Flora of Ceará, Brazil: Clusiaceae

Abstract

The floristic-taxonomic survey of Clusiaceae is presented as part of the project “Flora of Ceará: knowing to conserve”. The study was based on the analysis of specimens deposited in national and international herbaria and observations of natural populations during field expeditions carried out from February, 2019 to March, 2020. The family is represented in Ceará by eight species distributed in four genera: Clusia, Garcinia, Symphonia and Tovomita. Clusia was the most representative with five species: C. ibiapabensis, C. melchiorii, C. nemorosa, C. nogueirae and C. panapanari. The other genera are represented by one species each: Garcinia gardneriana, Symphonia globulifera and Tovomita mangle. The species preferentially occur in humid environments such as Dense Ombrophilous Forest and near watercourses. Clusia ibiapabensis and C. nogueirae are endemic to Ceará, and C. melchiorii and S. globulifera are new records for the state. Only Clusia nemorosa and C. panapanari were recorded in conservations units. Identification keys, descriptions, taxonomic relationships, illustrations, and comments on the geographical distribution and phenology of the species are presented.

Key words:  Clusia ; diversity; Malpighiales; northeastern Brazil; taxonomy