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[CULTURE] · Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay · 4 sources

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Barbosa Rodrigues Herbarium research discovers six new plant species

A taxonomic revision published in the journal Phytotaxa has revealed significant hidden diversity within the plant genus Thaumatocaryon in southern South America. Biologist Luís Adriano Funez, curator of the Barbosa Rodrigues Herbarium (HBR), led the research which determined that the genus contains nine species, expanding on the previous scientific understanding of only three species.

The study identified five entirely new species and revalidated one existing species, T. hilarii. The investigation was prompted by the analysis of a 1962 specimen of Thaumatocaryon parviflorum collected in Santa Cecília, Santa Catarina, which exhibited unique floral characteristics.

Researchers analyzed herbarium samples from four Brazilian states, as well as specimens from Argentina and Paraguay. The findings suggest that some of the newly identified species may only be known through historical herbarium records, raising concerns that human intervention in high-altitude habitats may have led to their extinction in the wild.

Entities

Barbosa Rodrigues Herbarium · Luís Adriano Funez · Phytotaxa · Santa Catarina · University of Vale do Itajaí

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