Morphoanatomy of Extrafloral Nectaries in Chamaecrista: Contributions of the Visiting Researcher to the Functional Evolution of Secretory Structures

• Grant number: 25/02731-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - Brazil
• Start date: August 04, 2025
• End date: January 03, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Plant Morphology
• Principal Investigator: Anselmo Nogueira
• Grantee: Anselmo Nogueira
• Visiting researcher: Italo Antonio Cotta Coutinho
• Visiting researcher institution: Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC). Centro de Ciências, Brazil
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/19544-7 - Synergistic effect of multiple mutualists on plants: how bacteria, ants and bees contribute to the evolution of a hyper-diverse lineage of legumes, AP.BTA.JP

Abstract

The visit of Prof. Ítalo Coutinho aims to deepen the study of the anatomy and function of extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) in Chamaecrista (Fabaceae). As a specialist in secretory structures and vegetation of dry areas, he will contribute to integrating morphoanatomical data with water transport and nectar secretion, clarifying how EFN vascularization influences their function and environmental response. The main objectives include: (i) describing the vascularization of EFNs in different species; (ii) relating nectary size to vascularization in the petiole; and (iii) modeling the secretion rate based on vascular anatomy. Using novel transverse sections, it will be possible to estimate theoretical hydraulic conductivity and compare it to actual secretion measured in the field. The research will rely on previously collected samples from 30 populations of different Chamaecrista species, encompassing a wide phenotypic variation of EFNs and the group's phylogenetic diversity. This collaboration will strengthen Objective 2 of the FAPESP Young Investigator project (Process 2019/19544-7), as well as support subprojects of students and postdoctoral researchers, expanding the understanding of the evolution and function of these structures and the plant vascular system. (AU)