Myrtaceae Juss. in restinga of Bahia: diversity, taxonomy, and distribution

Abstract

Myrtaceae has ca. 6,000 species, distributed into 140 genera with Pantropical distribution. The family is one of the five most representative flowering plants in species richness in Brazilian restinga and is also of great importance for the maintenance of the ecological cycles of this vegetation. However, few studies focus on Myrtaceae in restinga, mainly in the State of Bahia, which has the country’s largest coastal extension. This study aims to present the first taxonomic study of Myrtaceae from the restinga of the State of Bahia, Brazil. A total of 10 field trips were performed from September 2016 to April 2019, and the most relevant herbaria of Brazil were consulted. A total of eight genera and 85 species of Myrtaceae were identified in the Bahian restinga. Myrcia was the most representative genus with 42 species, followed by Eugenia (23 spp.), Psidium (seven spp.), Campomanesia (five spp.), Myrciaria (four spp.), Neomitranthes (two spp.), and Blepharocalyx and Calycolpus (a single species each). Two of them represented new species to science, and four presented the first records to the studied area. The distribution patterns among the Brazilian biomes and the restinga phytophysiognomies are discussed, also a checklist, identification keys, and photographic plates are provided.