Etnobotánica de las flores de la pasión (Passiflora) en la provincia andina de Angaraes (Huancavelica, Perú) / Ethnobotany of passion flowers (Passiflora) in the Andean province of Angaraes (Huancavelica, Perú)

A study about the useful species of the genus Passiflora (Passifloraceae) found in a mountains province of Angaraes (Huancavelica, Perú) is presented. The methodology used was based on guided visits and semi-structured interviews to 50 informants who lived in the province of Angaraes. Seven species grouped in five categories of use were reported. Categories with a higher quantity of reported usage were food for humans (95 reports) and medicine (65 reports). The category with greater diversity of species was fodder (6 species). The part of the plant used most often was the fruit (80%). Two species were described as cultivated and five have been recorded as in wildlife state. The species with greater cultural importance were P. tripartita var. mollissima and P. pinnatistipula, since their fruits are much appreciated by the locals and commercialized in province fairs, demonstrating that the cultivation of these plant resources is the main livelihood in the region. Finally, a key is included in order to allow the identification of each of the species of Passiflora which inhabit in the study area.

Se presenta un estudio sobre las especies útiles del género Passiflora (Passifloraceae) de una provincia andina de Angaraes (Huancavelica, Perú). La metodología utilizada se basó en visitas guiadas y entrevistas semiestructuradas a 50 informantes de la provincia de Angaraes. Se reportaron siete especies agrupadas en cinco categorías de uso. Las categorías con mayores reportes de uso fueron alimento para humanos (95 reportes) y medicinal (65 reportes). La categoría con mayor riqueza de especies es alimento para animales (seis especies). La parte utilizada con mayor frecuencia es el fruto (80%). Dos especies fueron descritas como cultivadas y cinco han sido registradas en estado silvestre. Las especies con mayor importancia cultural fueron P. tripartita var. mollissima y P. pinnatistipula, siendo sus frutos muy apreciados y comercializados en las ferias de la provincia, lo cual demuestra que los pobladores dependen de sus recursos vegetales para su subsistencia. Finalmente, se incluye una clave que permite diferenciar las especies de Passiflora que habitan en la zona de estudio.

Passifloraceae seeds from the late Eocene of Colombia.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: The plant fossil record for the neotropics is still sparse and temporally discontinuous. The location and description of new fossil material are fundamental for understanding evolutionary and biogeographic patterns of lineages. A new fossil record of Passifloraceae from the late Eocene of Colombia is described in this study. METHODS: Plant fossils were collected from a new locality from the Eocene Esmeraldas Formation. Eighteen fossil seeds were selected, described, and compared with fossil and extant angiosperm seeds based on the literature and herbarium collections. Taxonomic affinities of the fossil seeds within Passifloraceae s.l. were evaluated by comparing morphological characters of the seeds in a phylogenetic context. Stratigraphic information associated with the fossil locality was used to interpret the environment and taphonomic processes associated with fossil deposition. KEY RESULTS: A new seed fossil genus and species, Passifloroidesperma sogamosense gen. and sp. nov., is described and associated with the subfamily Passifloroideae based on the presence of a foveolate seed surface, ruminate endosperm, and a seed coat with prismatic palisade cells. The depositional environment of the locality is described as a floodplain associated with river channels. CONCLUSIONS: A detailed review of the Passifloraceae fossil record indicates that P. sogamosense is the oldest confirmed record of Passifloraceae. Its late Eocene age provides a minimum age that can be used as a calibration point for the crown Passifloroideae node in future dating analyses that together with its neotropical geographic location can shed light on the origin and diversification of the subfamily.

Could refuge theory and rivers acting as barriers explain the genetic variability distribution in the Atlantic Forest?

The Atlantic Forest is one of the most species-rich ecoregions in the world. The historical origins of this richness and the evolutionary processes that produced diversification and promoted speciation in this ecosystem remain poorly understood. In this context, focusing on Passiflora contracta, an endemic species from the Atlantic Forest distributed exclusively at sea level along forest edges, this study aimed to characterize the patterns of genetic variability and explore two hypotheses that attempt to explain the possible causes of the genetic diversity in this region: the refuge and riverine barrier theories. We employed Bayesian methods combined with niche modeling to identify genetically homogeneous groups, to determine the diversification age, and identify long-term climate stability areas to species survival. The analyses were performed using molecular markers from nuclear and plastid genomes, with samples collected throughout the entire geographic distribution of the species, and comparisons with congeners species. The results indicated that populations were genetically structured and provided evidence of demographic stability. The molecular markers indicated the existence of a clear structure and the presence of five homogeneous groups. Interestingly, the separation of the groups coincides with the geographical locations of local rivers, corroborating the hypothesis of rivers acting as barriers to gene flow in this species. The highest levels of genetic diversity and the areas identified as having long-term climate stability were found in the same region reported for other species as a possible refuge area during the climatic changes of the Quaternary.

Dissection of evolutionary networks to assess their role in the evolution of robustness, function, and diversification.

Biological systems are remarkably robust in the face of environmental, mutational, and developmental perturbations. Analyses of molecular networks reveal recurrent features, such as modularity, that have been implicated in robustness and evolvability. Multiple theoretical models account for these features, yet few empirical tests of these models exist. Here I develop a set of broadly applicable methodologies to enable expanded empirical evaluation of model predictions. The methodologies focus on the inference and analysis of networks that depict evolutionary correlations among characters. I apply these methodologies to analyze an evolutionary network at a larger scale of organization among 42 stem anatomical and morphological characters of 52 species in the genus Adenia (Passifloraceae). I evaluate a model predicting that modular evolutionary networks will evolve in response to environmental change. The evolutionary network of Adenia is modular and "small-world," and the three diagnosed modules correspond roughly to functions of transport, storage, and mechanical support. The phylogenetically informed analyses suggest that the storage module is more impacted by environmental change than expected by chance. These results corroborate the hypothesis that modularity reduces the impact of environmental change, but this result requires further empirical evaluation that can be aided by the proposed methods in additional study systems.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis of Passifloraceae sensu lato (Malpighiales) based on plastid and nuclear DNA sequences.

A phylogenetic analysis of Passifloraceae sensu lato was performed using rbcL, atpB, matK, and 18S rDNA sequences from 25 genera and 42 species. Parsimony analyses of combined data sets resulted in a single most parsimonious tree, which was very similar to the 50% majority consensus tree from the Bayesian analysis. All nodes except three were supported by more than 50% bootstrap. The monophyly of Passifloraceae s.l. as well as the former families, Malesherbiaceae, Passifloraceae sensu stricto, and Turneraceae were strongly supported. Passifloraceae s.s. and the Turneraceae are sisters, and form a strongly supported clade. Within Passifloraceae s.s., the tribes Passifloreae and Paropsieae are both monophyletic. The intergeneric relationships within Passifloraceae s.s. and Turneraceae are roughly correlated with previous classification systems. The morphological character of an androgynophore/gynophore is better used for characterizing genera grouping within Passifloraceae s.s. Other morphological characters such as the corona and aril are discussed.

Respuesta in vitro de diferentes biotipos y explantos de Passiflora caerulea L / In vitro response of different biotypes and explants of Passiflora caerulea L

Passiflora caerulea L., al igual que otras especies de la familia Passifloraceae, es utilizada en la medicina popular por sus propiedades antiespasmódicas y para el tratamiento de la ansiedad, el insomnio y el nerviosismo. La belleza de sus flores les otorga valor ornamental, mientras que sus frutos son apreciados por su importancia alimenticia. Se evaluó la respuesta in vitro de diferentes explantos y tres biotipos de P. caerulea: Corral de Bustos (provincia de Córdoba), Zavalla (provincia de Santa Fe) y Neuquén (provincia de Neuquén). Se utilizaron dos tipos de explantos: entrenudos y segmentos nodales, y como medio de cultivo Murashige y Skoog (1962) (MS), suplementado con vitaminas de Gamborg (1976) y 1 mg/L-1 de benciladenina (BA). Las respuestas fueron diferentes según el genotipo y el explanto. Los entrenudos ubicados tanto horizontal como verticalmente en medio de cultivo generaron callos como única respuesta. El biotipo de Neuquén mostró los mayores porcentajes de segmentos nodales con brotes. A través de estudios histológicos se determinó que en medio de cultivo MS con 1 mg/L-1 de BA, los segmentos nodales de P. caerulea originan brotes a partir de las yemas axilares preformadas y raíces que parten de callos en la base de los mismos. En iguales condiciones, los entrenudos originan callo como única respuesta.

As other species of the Passifloraceae family, Passiflora caerulea L. is used in popular medicine for its antispasmodic properties and as a remedy for anxiety, insomnia and nervousness. It is also highly prized for the ornamental value of its beautiful flowers, as well as for the nutritional importance of its fruits. The in vitro response of different explants and three biotypes of P. caerulea: the Corral de Bustos (Province of Córdoba), the Zavalla (Province of Santa Fe) and the Neuquén (Province of Neuquén) genotypes, was evaluated using two types of explants: internodes and nodal segments on Murashige and Skoog (1962) (MS) culture medium supplemented with Gamborg’s vitamins (1976) and 1 mg.L-1 of benzyladenine (BA). There were different responses depending on the genotype and the explant. The internodes placed both horizontally and vertically in the culture medium produced callus as sole response. The Neuquén biotype showed the highest percentages of nodal segments with shoots. Histological tests allowed to establish that in MS culture medium with 1 mg.L-1 of BA, the nodal segments of P. caerulea produce shoots from the preformed axillary buds and roots that develop from the callus situated on its base. Under similar conditions, the internodes produce callus as sole response.