Reproductive Biology of Varronia curassavica Jacq. (Boraginaceae)

ABSTRACT Varronia curassavica, a subshrubby medicinal species associated with restinga in the Atlantic Forest, has been exploited by local people and the pharmaceutical industry. Indeed, restingas have experienced a continuous process of degradation, and thus, with species and ecosystem both at risk, efforts to support conservation actions are required. The present study aimed to evaluate aspects of V. curassavica reproductive biology. To accomplish this, morphological characterization was performed by monitoring flowering events. The availability of nectar and pollen, as well as the frequency and behavior of floral visitors and dispersers, was also evaluated. This species exhibits both heterostyly and protogyny. Anthesis is diurnal, and flowers last less than a day. The high number of flower and fruit abortions suggests that mechanisms, such as self-incompatibility intra-morphs and easily detached flowers, contribute to reduced fruit production. The high diversity of floral visitors indicate a generalist pollination syndrome. Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera were the main pollinators, and nectar was the main resource sought by these insects. Fruits were dispersed by birds and ants. It can be concluded that the interaction of V. curassavica with several species is a key factor in its own survival and for maintaining the biological diversity of restinga.

Biologia floral e sistema reprodutivo da erva-baleeira (Varronia curassavica Jacq. ) / Flowering phenology and reproductive system of the Cordia (Varronia curassavica Jacq. )

RESUMOO conhecimento do sistema reprodutivo é fundamental para a conservação e manejo de uma espécie. O objetivo deste trabalho foi descrever a fenologia da floração, a antese, registrar os insetos visitantes no período de floração, determinar as características morfométricas das flores e o sistema reprodutivo da erva-baleeira, em um ambiente de Cerrado do Norte de Minas Gerais. Entre maio a dezembro de 2012 foi caracterizado o comportamento fenológico da floração. Na análise da fenologia floral foi determinado: o crescimento da inflorescência, o número de flores e frutos por inflorescências. Utilizou-se seis acessos que tiveram dez inflorescências marcadas em cada acesso, totalizando 60 inflorescências. A antese foi determinada utilizando quatro inflorescências em duas plantas. Os visitantes florais foram observados in loco e capturados em três dias consecutivos de coleta. As características morfométricas foram determinadas com paquímetro utilizando 20 flores, sendo cinco flores de quatro acessos. Para determinar o sistema reprodutivo utilizou-se a razão pólen:óvulo (P:O), utilizando 50 flores, sendo 10 flores de cinco acessos em pré-antese. Nas condições de Montes Claros, o crescimento das inflorescências de erva-baleeira ocorreu entre meados de agosto e início de outubro, totalizando 45 dias. O florescimento foi observado entre meados de setembro e final de outubro, enquanto a frutificação ocorreu de meados de outubro a início de dezembro, sendo que ambos ocorreram de forma irregular. A antese floral de erva-baleeira, neste estudo, ocorre entre 7:00 e 11:00 horas. Os insetos visitantes pertencem as ordens Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera e Hymenoptera. As flores apresentaram o diâmetro de 2,13 ± 0,05 (mm), o comprimento de 3,29 ± 0,08 (mm), diâmetro do ovário de 0,70 ± 0,02 (mm), o comprimento do ovário de 2,48 ± 0,12 (mm), o diâmetro da antera de 0,67 ± 0,01(mm) e o comprimento da antera de 0,93 ±0,02 (mm), quatro óvulos e cinco anteras por flor. A razão P:O foi de 576,542, indicando que a espécie é alógama facultativa.

ABSTRACTThe knowledge of the reproductive system is essential for the conservation and management of the species. This study aimed on several procedures, as follows: to describe the phenology of flowering, the anthesis; to record the visiting insects during flowering and to determine the morphometric characteristics of the flowers and the reproductive system of the "erva-baleeira", in an environment of Northern Cerrado in the State of Minas Gerais. From May to December 2012, the flowering phenology of six access was characterized. In the analyzes of floral phenology it were determined the growth of the inflorescence and the number of flowers and fruits per inflorescence by using six access which had ten inflorescences marked in each access l, totalizing sixty inflorescences. The anthensis was assessed using four inflorescences in two plants. The flower`s visitors were observed live and captured in three consecutive days of sampling. The morphometric characteristics were determined with a caliper using 20 flowers, with five flowers from four access. In order to determine the reproductive system it was employed a ratiopollen: ovule (P: O) with 50 flowers and 10 of them belonging to five accesses in the pre-anthesis. Under the conditions of Montes Claros, the growth of inflorescences from Cordia occurred between mid-August and early October, totalizing 45 days. The flowering was observed between mid-September and late October, and the fruiting occurred from mid-October to early December. Both phases happened irregularly. The anthesis of the Cordia, in this study, occurred between 7:00 and 11:00 o`clock.. The visiting insects identified were from the orders of Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera and Hymenoptera. The flowers exhibited a diameter of 2.13 ± 0.05 (mm), length of 3.29 ± 0.08 (mm), diameter of 0.70 ± 0.02 Ovarian (mm), the length of the ovary was 2.48 ± 0.12 (mm), the diameter of the anther 0.67 ± 0.01 (mm) and the length anther was 0.93 ± 0.02 (mm), with five anthers and four ovules per flower. The reason P: O was 576.542, indicating that the species is facultative allogamous.

O gênero cordia L: botânica, química e farmacologia / Genus cordia L: botany, chemistry and pharmacology

Uma revista do gênero CORDIA L. é apresentada pondo-se em evidência aspectos botânicos, químicos e farmacológicos. Discutindo-se os aspectos botânicos, as principais características morfológicas e anatômicas são colocadas em realce, com base em estudos recentes. Um breve histórico do gênero é dado além de se fazer considerações sobre a ecologia e germinação de sementes. Os principais acontecimentos sobre a química e a farmacologia das espécies são mencionadas.