Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Background and Aims: The coastal vegetation of Mazatlán, Mexico, has been scarcely studied due to its removal, which has been caused by the intense transformation of the environment for real estate, tourism, commercial, port and fishing development. However, the Estero del Yugo micro-watershed has one of the last fragments of dry forest in the urban area, which could reveal the biodiversity that the city of Mazatlán had before urbanization. The objectives of this work were to analyze and document the information generated during 25 years in the HCIAD herbarium of the Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. (CIAD) for the Estero del Yugo micro-watershed, to describe the plant communities and to present the floristic inventory, and thus contribute to future conservation and management programs in the study area. Methods: HCIAD vascular plant records (1996-2022) were analyzed, including georeferenced field observations. The specimens were identified with the help of specialists, and by consulting bibliography and specimens on digital platforms. Key results: The vascular flora comprised 75 families, 275 genera and 393 species of angiosperms, obtained from 756 collection records and 1000 field observations. Fabaceae (57 spp.), Cyperus (12 spp.) and Bromelia pinguin (35 records) were the best represented taxa. Forty-two endemic species to Mexico, 21 regional and three species exclusive to the state of Sinaloa were recognized in addition to four new records for the state. The plant communities present in the area are tropical deciduous forest, coastal tropical scrub, mangrove, water lily, cattail and fire flag wetlands, coastal dune vegetation, halophilous vegetation and urban vegetation. A relict coastal population of Piranhea mexicana was recorded. Conclusions: The vascular flora of the Estero del Yugo micro-watershed represents 10% of the flora of Sinaloa. Because of its scenic beauty, socioecological importance, and seriously threatened plant communities in this area, it should be preserved as a municipal nature reserve.

Background and Aims: The genus Phylloporia is morphologically diverse and includes species which develop in restricted areas that are predominantly tropical and that have or do not have substrate specificity. Five species were reported for Cuba, however, due to the heterogeneity of the island’s ecosystems and the diversity of the genus, it is estimated that the number of taxa present is higher than that recorded. Therefore, the present work had as objective the taxonomic review of the genus Phylloporia in Cuba, based on the morphological analysis of specimens from Cuban herbaria. Methods: Specimens deposited in the mycological collections of the herbaria HAJB, of the National Botanical Garden, and HAC, of the Instituto de Ecología y Sistemática de Cuba were reviewed. The specimens were studied, described and determined macroscopically and microscopically with the support of specialized literature. Key results: Eight species of the genus Phylloporia were determined for Cuba: P. chrysites, P. fruticum, P. pectinata, and P. spathulata (previously recorded); P. verae-crucis (as a new record for the country); P. subpectinata (proposed as a new combination); P. pinarensis and P. rodriguezii (as two species new to science). Descriptions of their macroscopic and microscopic structures are given for these taxa. In addition, a distribution map of the treated species and a dichotomous key for the identification of the members of the genus in the national territory, which includes P. crystallina, that is a taxon not found in this study, are presented. Conclusions: The geographical distribution area of the known species of the genus in Cuba is expanded and new taxa are incorporated into the country’s mycobiota. However, it is necessary to increase sampling in areas where information gaps exist or are poorly explored, as well as in sites with high plant endemism. It is also necessary to implement molecular analyses in order to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships between the treated species and others of the genus and family.

Background and Aims: In systematic studies the use of anatomical characters is of great relevance to support or refute the circumscription of genera and species. Nahuatlea is a genus of the tribe Gochnatieae (Asteraceae), and includes six species, supported by molecular evidence. However, its anatomical characters have not yet been evaluated from a taxonomic point of view. The objective of this work was to describe the leaf architecture and anatomy as well as the wood anatomy of Nahuatlea species and its sister groups Tehuasca, Anastraphia and Cnicothamnus to evaluate and record attributes with possible systematic value. Methods: Wood and leaf samples from three individuals per species were analyzed using conventional microtechnical techniques to obtain and describe qualitative and quantitative characters. Characters were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models and cluster analysis. Key results: Characteristics of the wood such as porosity, arrangement of the vessels, aperture of intervessel pits and number of series in the rays present possible taxonomic value. For example, vessels with a diagonal pattern are unique to N. hypoleuca, while bi- or triseriate rays are unique to species of Nahuatlea. In the leaf, the venation patterns and the occurrence of hypodermis sheath extensions present possible taxonomic value. The branching veinlets and hypodermis of one layer are exclusive to N. purpusii. The analyses showed significant differences for some of the characters of the wood and the leaf. Conclusions: The anatomy of wood and leaf allows the recognition of unique combinations of characters that support the delimitation of Nahuatlea species.

Background and Aims: There are seven native bamboo species in the Huasteca Potosina (HP), but the richness of introduced species is unknown. For both groups there is no record of the ecosystem services (ES) they provide. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to record the presence of introduced bamboo species in the HP and to identify the ES of native and introduced species. Methods: Botanical explorations were carried out to visit all the municipalities of the study area; 57 botanical collections were made. In order to know the ES of native and introduced species, observations were made in the field, especially in localities where bamboo is grown and used, and we interviewed 31 key informants. Key results: In addition to the seven native bamboo species in the HP there are 11 introduced taxa (ten species and one variety), all of which are woody culms. Eight species and one variety are native to Asia, one to South America, and one introduced from the state of Veracruz, Mexico. The most widely distributed introduced species are Bambusa vulgaris, B. vulgaris var. vittata and B. oldhamii. The main use of woody bamboo is for construction and the native species most used for this is Guadua velutina. The introduced species are produced for decoration, living fence and construction. Conclusions: In the HP there are 44 ha of commercial bamboo plantations, together with the native species they provide three ES and five uses. The results of this work are the basis for future research on the ES of bamboo in the HP. It is necessary to continue monitoring commercial plantations, since they are increasing; in addition to evaluating the effects of different management practices in plantations and potential uses, especially of native species.

Background and Aims: The order Gymnodiniales is composed of 11 families, 63 genera and 641 taxonomically valid species. These dinoflagellates are characterized by having a very fragile cell wall. In addition, some species can produce phycotoxins and form dense blooms. In the case of the Mexican Pacific coast, studies focused on knowing the diversity of this group are still limited, despite the economic, social, and ecological importance of these microorganisms. Therefore, the objective of this study was to make a floristic list from a bibliographical review, integrating only the records supported by micrographs, to know the diversity of athecate dinoflagellates of the order Gymnodiniales present in the Mexican Pacific Ocean, with emphasis on those that form harmful algal blooms.Methods: The search for information was carried out in publications (articles and book chapters), from the first record (1943) to the present (November 2022). Each record was confirmed only by the existence of optical and scanning electron micrographs.Key results: The Mexican Pacific is made up of 11 coastal states, where the presence of 10 families, 31 genera and 103 species (which represents 16% of the total number of species recorded worldwide) is currently reported for the order Gymnodiniales. Of the 11 families that make up this order, the Gymnodiniaceae family grouped 29% of the total number of species recorded for the Mexican Pacific, where the genera Gymnodinium and Gyrodinium presented the largest number of species.Conclusions: The evidence presented in this study showed that there is a low diversity for this order in the Mexican Pacific, so it is necessary to implement a greater sampling effort, in addition to venturing into different molecular tools that allow obtaining a better approximation of the diversity in the Mexican coasts.

Background and Aims: The Asteraceae occupies a predominant place in the flora of Mexico and in many other parts of the world. The count of their number of species, genera, and tribes at a national scale can be considered reliable, but at a more local scale their knowledge is still deficient since there are still many unexplored areas. The objective of this work was to identify the diversity of Asteraceae species in the municipality of Tepoztlán, Morelos, Mexico, as well as to analyze their distribution in the main types of biomes recorded in the municipality, and documenting their conservation status. Methods: To document the floristic diversity of the municipality, a review of the literature as exhaustive as possible was carried out, in addition to the review of the herbarium material collected in the municipality and deposited in different collections (23 herbaria, mainly JES, MEXU, SLPM, and XAL). In addition, fieldwork to collect material from the family in different localities along the municipality was carried out. Key results: In the Municipality of Tepoztlán, Morelos, the existence of 256 species, distributed in 98 genera and 19 tribes, is documented; 121 species (47.3% of the total) are endemic to Mexico and four introduced (exotics). More than 170 botanists have made the collection effort in the municipality, but nine of them stand out for their greater number of collections. Due to their number of species, the tribes Eupatorieae (55) and Heliantheae (54) stand out, although due to their number of genera surpass Heliantheae (24), Millerieae (15), and Eupatorieae (11). The genera Ageratina and Stevia record the highest number of species (20 and 17 respectively). The temperate forests of the municipality display a greater collection effort, followed by the seasonally dry tropical forest; the fragments of humid montane forest are the least explored. Conclusions: Although the municipality is perhaps the best known in terms of its Asteraceae diversity species, the need to continue with the floristic inventory work is underlined.

Background and Aims: The humid tropical forest canopy hosts a great diversity of epiphytic plants and arboreal ants. These biological groups are usually studied individually without considering their interactions. Still, they can establish complex and specialized mutualisms such as ant-gardens, a particular assembly of epiphytic angiosperms cultivated by ants. This work aimed to present the first annotated checklist and the distribution maps of the epiphytes and one ant species associated with ant-gardens in southeastern Mexico. Methods: We compiled occurrence records of the angiosperm epiphytes and ant species in specialized literature, herbarium records and photographs in national and international online databases, as well as field observations. Key results: We reported a total of eight species of epiphytes belonging to six angiosperm families and the ant Azteca gnava, distributed in southeastern Mexico (Veracruz to Quintana Roo) and with the highest diversity on the border between the states of Tabasco and Chiapas. Epidendrum flexuosum was the most representative species of the ant-gardens in southeastern Mexico. Conclusions: The ant-gardens are complex systems, and their study in Mexico is incipient, so we hope this work will encourage their research and the conservation of canopy species and their mutualisms.

Background and Aims: Huauzontle (Chenopodium berlandieri subsp. nuttalliae) is a pseudocereal native to Mexico and is part of its culinary tradition. This pseudocereal is recognized for its high nutritional value and components that are associated with beneficial health effects. However, there is currently no literature on the impact that the fermentation process would have on its bioactive properties. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of fermentation by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Lp22 in huauzontle seeds suspended in water on their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in vitro. Methods: Huauzontle seeds were suspended in water (0.3%, w/v), inoculated with L. plantarum Lp22 (1%, v/v) at 108 CFU/ml, and allowed to ferment for 24 h at 37 °C. Then, seeds were recovered by filtration, grounded and aqueous extract was obtained. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was determined by the ABTS and ORAC methods. Moreover, the inhibition of the enzymes lipoxygenase (LOX) and trypsin was evaluated and the total phenolic compounds in methanolic extract (Folin-Ciocalteu method) were also determined. Key results: The antioxidant activity represented as mM of Trolox equivalents was 812.50 and 927.50 by ABTS and 1384.32 and 3391.11 for ORAC, for unfermented and fermented huauzontle, respectively (p<0.05). The inhibition of LOX activity was 40.06% and 37.24% for unfermented and fermented huauzontle, respectively, while for trypsin it was 12.53% and 14.38% (p>0.05). Besides, total phenol content was 7.49 and 20.24 mg/ml (p<0.05), respectively. Conclusions: Our findings evidence that fermentation of huauzontle improves the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may be associated with increased phenol content. Therefore, its consumption could enhance the antioxidant and immune system of the human organism.

Background and Aims: Blakea is a Neotropical genus of woody plants with 192 species, of which more than 80 are distributed in Colombia, with high levels of endemism. Despite the high diversity of the genus in the country, few taxonomic studies have been carried out at the regional level, so that knowledge about Blakea is scarce in general. This paper deals with a taxonomic synopsis of the genus for the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia, nomenclatural novelties are proposed, and a new species is described.Methods: More than 200 specimens from different herbaria in Colombia were reviewed; in addition, the prologues and type specimens were consulted online and compiled. The richness and distribution of the genus in the region are established, annotations are made on its phenology, conservation status and a representative specimen per department are cited. Taxonomic comments are also made on some species.Key results: In total, 25 species and one variety were recorded for the study area, one of which was identified at the morphospecies level. A new species is described within the study area (Blakea reflexa), B. clusiifolia is reestablished, B. schlimii is reported for the country and the departmental and elevational distributions of 12 species are expanded.Conclusions: Blakea presents a high richness in the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia, so this area is key for the study and conservation of the group at regional and national levels. It is important to continue with detailed regional taxonomic studies of the genus to precisely know its current status and possible future trends.

Background and Aims: Ricciocarpos natans is one of the few species of truly aquatic hepatics. It has a subcosmopolitan distribution and appears to be more common in temperate areas. The species has been considered to be very rare in Central America where it was known only from Panama. The objective of this study is to report the presence of this species in Costa Rica and to survey its current distribution in Latin America. Methods: We provide an overview of the distribution of the floating aquatic liverwort Ricciocarpos natans in Latin America based on literature, herbarium specimens and unequivocal photographic records across the region, as well as field work in Costa Rica. Key results: Ricciocarpos natans is reported as new for Costa Rica. We provide the most complete survey to date of the geographic distribution of the species in Latin America. Conclusions: Our survey shows that Ricciocarpos natans appears to be more common and widely distributed in the Neotropics than previously assumed. Its assumed rarity seems to be the result of insufficient collection efforts.