Qual impacto da anatomia foliar na taxonomia de Calea L. seção Monanthocalea?

Abstract

The section Monanthocalea (Less.) Pruski belongs to the genus Calea L. (Neurolaeneae, Asteraceae), and contains twenty species that present morphological similarities, which make identification difficult. The present study aimed to analyze the anatomical characters of ten members of the Monanthocalea section, with the aim of contributing to the taxonomy of species belonging to sections of Calea. Duplicate herbarium samples were processed according to standard procedures for anatomical studies. Characters with greater relevance for distinguishing species were highlighted, such as presence of the petiole; structural diversity of the epidermis; contour and conformation of the midrib vascular system; presence/absence of sclerenchyma sheath; and mesophyll type. The morphoanatomical characters encoded here are important subsidies for the taxonomy of the group and can impact evolutionary interpretations in Calea, providing support for the detection of synapomorphies in infrageneric categories.