Integrative taxonomy of Ternstroemia Mutis ex L.f. (Pentaphylacaceae):uncovering neglected species of Neotropical flora

• Grant number: 22/05573-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2022
• End date: January 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Daniela Sampaio Silveira
• Grantee: Daniela Sampaio Silveira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas (IBILCE). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São José do Rio Preto. São José do Rio Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alexandre Rizzo Zuntini ; André Vito Scatigna ; Cássio van den Berg ; Eduardo Custódio Gasparino ; Eve Lucas ; Fernando Batista da Costa ; Luis Octávio Regasini
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/03050-0 - Morphometric and molecular analyses of Ternstroemia Mutis ex L.f. (PENTAPHYLACACEAE)., BP.TT

Abstract

Ternstroemia (Pentaphylacaceae) has 156 species with tropical and subtropical distribution, and greater richness distributed in the Neotropical region, where 105 species are recognized. The genus has great economic potential in the production of pharmacological compounds, including anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, anxiolytic and sedative substances. However, most of these studies are restricted to the species of Asian studies, also taken care of in the Neotropical region. The phylogenetic relationships of the species of Ternstroemia studies are still unknown, as there are no questions about the monophyly of the genus, the interspecific relationships, the hypotheses of lineage distribution or the evolution of morphological characters, as well as there are no biogeography of the genus for the region tropical. As the species of Ternstroemia large morphological, with character presentation and formation of knowledge of complex species, in this way, only the logical study does not have enough precision to determine species with precision, evidencing the need for integrated morphological knowledge to further make the genus. This project aims to expand the knowledge about Neotropical Ternstroemia (Pentaphylacaceae), approaching the genus in 6 subprojects: 1) systematic with a taxonomic review of the group; 2) palynology; 3) morphometry of leaves and reproductive organs; 4) Phylogeny and biogeography of neotropical species, to understand phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships. 5) molecular species determination bars, methods in DNA libraries; 6) chemical composition with phytochemistry for secondary analysis of economic, chemical and medicinal importance. (AU)