Avaliação da distribuição e diversidade de Espécies da Família Rubiaceae no Brasil – Análise Bibliográfica

Abstract

The family Rubiaceae is the fourth largest family among Angiosperms with approximately 13,150 species and 611 genera. It is this very cosmopolitan in the tropics with its greatest diversity in rainforests. Psychotria L. is the largest genus of the family with 1834 species, and the third largest genus among all of Angiosperms. In Brazil there are about 1,400 species of Rubiaceae distributed in all states. The genus Psychotria in Brazil remains the largest with 262 spp. This study aims to provide a comprehensive idea about the diversity and distribution of Rubiaceae in the country, and analyze data on pollination, fruiting period, and flowering phenology for species through bibliographic data and herbariums. Os results showed that in the region north of the country there are 751 species and 104 genera, in the Northeast, 404 species and 80 genera; on Midwest 365 species and 76 genera; Southeast, 598 species and 74 genera and 197 species in the South there and 48 genera. There seems to be a common phenological pattern of flowering and fruiting family. Bees are the main pollinators group, accounting for about 80% of pollination, followed by hummingbirds 64.70% and wasps and butterflies with 17.64% and 47%, respectively. Although this family is cosmopolitan, shows ecological vulnerability, which ultimately indicating that many species are susceptible to extinction.