Characterization of the micromorphology of the surface of leaves and perianth and of the leaf anatomy of Calopogonium Desv. (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) as a subsidy to the taxonomy of the genus

• Grant number: 23/06855-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): February 01, 2024
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Plant Morphology
• Principal Investigator: Silvia Rodrigues Machado
• Grantee: Beatriz Freitas Melo
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Calopogonium Desv. is a genus of Leguminosae - Papilionoideae consisting of eight species distributed in tropical and temperate regions of the world; of these, four have wide occurrence in South America. Morphologically, Calopogonium is uniform, making it difficult to delimit the species. The species of this genus are characterized by presenting trifoliate leaves with persistent or deciduous stipules, hirsute indumentum, velutine to sericeous of the vegetative structures, pseudoracemose inflorescences with nodes, lilac flowers, calyx with 5 lobes, and legume-type fruit, ranging from six to twelve seeds. The Brazilian species of this genus have overlapping morphological characteristics, a fact that makes it difficult to identify material deposited in herbaria. Furthermore, this group of legumes is little known in terms of leaf anatomy. The contribution of characters from the surface micromorphology of leaf organs and leaf anatomy to the taxonomic delimitation of different groups of legumes has long been known in the literature. Anatomical characters have also played an important role in the construction of cladograms and more robust identification keys, in addition to making it possible to raise hypotheses about the ecology and evolution of different clades. In this scenario, the objective of this study is to comparatively analyze the micromorphology of the leaf surface and perianth (and associated leaf structures - stipules and bracts), with emphasis on the characterization of the indument, and the leaf anatomy of the Brazilian species of Calopogonium as a subsidy to taxonomy of the genre. With the results obtained, we intend to select the morphoanatomical characters with diagnostic value for the species of the genus and create an identification key.