Evaluation of the floral vasculature of the Janusia, Mascagnia and Tetrapterys species as a tool to explain the decrease of floral organs in Malpighiaceae

The family Malpighiaceae is considered monophyletic, but the intra-family classification is conflicting. Analyses of floral vasculature allow the identification of reductions, connations and adnations and can even reveal evolutionary steps prior to current floral morphology. The present work analysed the floral vasculature of Janusia mediterranea, Mascagnia cordifolia and Tetrapterys chamaecerasifolia using material processed by traditional methods for light microscopy. A general pattern was observed of three bundle traces supplying each sepal and one trace per petal and stamen; Mascagnia is an exception, as its eglandular sepal has only a median trace but shares lateral traces with adjacent sepals. No dorsal traces are emitted to the carpels; however, three intercarpellary complexes are emitted that divide into six ventral bundles, supplying the ovule. Mascagnia demonstrates connation between the anterior and adjacent sepal glands; reductions of the anterior sepal glands were registered in Tetrapterys and Janusia. This work reveals two distinct processes for gland loss in non-related groups of the family that resulted in similar present appearances. Our evaluation of the number of calyx glands and the processes of glandular loss in species with less than ten glands improves our understanding of the evolution of calyx glands in Malpighiaceae. © 2013 Elsevier GmbH.

Isolation and characterization of sodium 2-fluoroacetate from Mascagnia rigida using chromatography and infrared spectroscopy

Sodium monofluoroacetate was first identified in Dichapetalum cymosum, a South African plant that can cause livestock poisoning and death. After, several other plants also showed to contain this toxin, which leads to the "sudden death". Mascagnia rigida, a well identified poisonous plant, commonly found in northeast of Brazil also cause sudden death in cattle, which shows clinical signs similar to those produced by the ingestion of plants that contain monofluoroacetate. Our aim was to identify the toxic compound present in the aqueous extract of M. rigida. For this purpose, the dried and milled plant was extracted; the extract was lyophilized and submitted to successive chromatographic process, until the desired purity of the active compound was achieved. The study of this material by planar chromatography and by infrared spectrometry indicated that the toxin can be a mixture of mono, di and trifluoroacetate. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Morfoanatomia de órgãos reprodutivos de cinco espécies de malpighiaceae

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Seed development in Malpighiaceae species with an emphasis on the relationships between nutritive tissues

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Systematic Screening of Plant Extracts from the Brazilian Pantanal with Antimicrobial Activity against Bacteria with Cariogenic Relevance

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)