Abstract

KUBOTA, Victoria; EGEA, Juana De; CESPEDES, Gloria  and  MERELES, Fátima. Records and conservation status of two mycoheterotrophic species of Paraguayan flora. Rev. Soc. cient. Parag. [online]. 2023, vol.28, n.2, pp.191-219. ISSN 2617-4731.  https://doi.org/10.32480/rscp.2023.28.2.191.

The Paraguayan flora includes five understudied mycoheterotrophic species with only a few existing records. Recent botanical collections of two of these species, Apteria aphylla (Burmanniaceae) and Voyria aphylla (Gentianaceae), have awakened an interest in the conservation status of their populations at a national level. This study presents taxonomic, ecological and distribution data for both species, in order to facilitate their identification and monitoring, in addition to the systematization of existing herbarium specimens and an analysis of the conservation status according to IUCN criteria B. There were 10 records of A. aphylla found within three departments (Alto Paraná, Amambay and Canindeyú) as well as 8 records of V. aphylla found within four departments (Alto Paraná, Caaguazú, Canindeyú and Cordillera). The analysis of the conservation status indicates that both species are threatened, and the attribution of the VU category B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii) is recommended. Greater monitoring efforts and botanical collections of these mycoheterotrophic species are necessary to better understand the behavior and evolution of the conservation status of their populations.

Keywords : Apteria; Burmanniaceae; Gentianaceae; achlorophyllous plant; IUCN protocol; Voyria.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )