More than euglossines: the diverse pollinators and floral scents of Zygopetalinae orchids.

Floral volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play important roles in plant-pollinator interactions. We investigated the reproductive ecology and floral VOCs of Zygopetalinae orchids to understand the relationship between floral scents and pollinators. We performed focal observations, phenological censuses and breeding system experiments in eight species in southeast Brazil. Floral scents were collected and analysed using SPME/GC-MS. We performed multivariate analyses to group species according to affinities of their VOCs and define compounds associated to each plant. Dichaea cogniauxiana was pollinated by weevils which use their developing ovules, while D. pendula was pollinated by the same weevils and perfume-collecting male euglossine bees. The other species were deceit-pollinated by bees. Zygopetalum crinitum was pollinated by carpenter bees, while W. warreana, Z. mackayi and Z. maxillare were bumblebee-pollinated. The latter was also pollinated by Centris confusa. Breeding system varied widely with no association to any pollinator group. Most VOCs are common to other floral scents. Zygopetalum crinitum presented an exclusive blend of VOCs, mainly composed of benzenoids. The scents of Pabstia jugosa, Promenaea xanthina and the Zygopetalum spp. were similar. The bumblebee-pollinated species have flowering periods partially overlapped, thus neither phenology nor pollinators constitute hybridization barriers among these species. Euglossines are not the only pollinators of Zygopetalinae. Different VOCs, size and lifespan of flowers are associated with distinct pollinators. A distinctive VOC bouquet may determine specialisation in carpenter bees or male euglossines within bee-pollinated flowers. Finally, visitation of deceit-pollinated flowers by perfume-collecting euglossines allows us to hypothesise how pollination by this group of bees had evolved.

A new remarkable Vanilla Mill. (Orchidaceae) species endemic to the Espinhaço Range, Brazil: its phylogenetic position and evolutionary relationships among Neotropical congeners.

During surveys conducted on Neotropical Vanilla, a new endemic species was found in the Brazilian campos rupestres of the Espinhaço Range. Here, this new remarkable Vanilla species, namely V.rupicola Pansarin & E.L.F. Menezes, is described and illustrated. A phylogeny for Vanilla is presented and the relationships between Neotropical species are discussed. The position of V.rupicola among Neotropical Vanilla is discussed within an evolutionary context. Vanillarupicola is recognized by its rupicolous habit, its reptant stems, and its sessile and rounded leaves. This remarkable new taxon emerges in a clade that includes V.appendiculata Rolfe and V.hartii Rolfe. Vegetative and floral features support a close relationship between V.rupicola and sister taxa, mainly regarding the apical inflorescence (V.appendiculata), the type of appendages of the central crest of the labellum, and the labellar color pattern. Phylogenetic inference suggests that the circumscription of Neotropical Vanilla groups needs revision.

Genetic variability within and among populations of an invasive, exotic orchid.

Despite the fact that invasive species are of great evolutionary interest because of their success in colonizing and spreading into new areas, the factors underlying this success often remain obscure. In this sense, studies on population genetics and phylogenetic relationships of invasive species could offer insights into mechanisms of invasions. Originally from Africa, the terrestrial orchid Oeceoclades maculata, considered an invasive plant, is the only species of the genus throughout the Americas. Considering the lack of information on population genetics of this species, the aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity and structure of Brazilian populations of O. maculata. We used 13 inter-simple sequence repeat primers to assess the genetic diversity of 152 individuals of O. maculata distributed in five sampled sites from three Brazilian states (São Paulo, Mato Grosso and Paraná). Low diversity was found within samples, with estimates of the Shannon index (H) ranging from 0.0094 to 0.1054 and estimates of Nei's gene diversity (He) ranging from 0.0054 to 0.0668. However, when evaluated together, the sampling locations showed substantially higher diversity estimates (H = 0.3869, He = 0.2556), and most of the genetic diversity was found among populations (ΦST = 0.933). Both clustering and principal coordinate analysis indicate the existence of five distinct groups, corresponding to the sampled localities, and which were also recovered in the Bayesian analysis. A substructure was observed in one of the localities, suggesting a lack of gene flow even between very small distances. The patterns of genetic structure found in this study may be understood considering the interaction of several probable reproductive strategies with its history of colonization involving possible genetic drift, selective pressures and multiple introductions.

Aplicação da análise microscópica na investigação de espinhos de Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (Figo da Índia) presentes em alimento / Microscopic analysis of glochidia of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (Indian fig Opuntia) occurring in food

Em uma amostra de panetone de frutas cristalizadas, contendo corpos estranhos, encaminhada ao Laboratório de Microscopia de Alimentos do Instituto Adolfo Lutz de Ribeirão Preto, foram feitas análises, a fim de determinar a origem dessas estruturas. Com o auxílio de estereomicroscópio binocular (lupa) e de um microscópio óptico, os referidos corpos estranhos foram comparados com os espinhos existentes nas porções vegetativas e reprodutivas de espécies de Cactaceae, Caryocaraceae, Malvaceae e Cyperaceae. Foi constatado que o material contido no panetone eram aréolas de gloquídeos, um tipo de espinho comumente presente em frutos e caules de espécies de gênero Opuntia (Cactaceae). Os gloquídeos apresentavam comprimento entre 2 e 3 mm, eram rígidos, pontiagudos e providos de pequenas farpas laterais voltadas para base, as mesmas características e dimensões observadas em Opuntia ficus-indica (figo da Índia).

In a sample of candied fruit “panettone” sent to the Food Microscopy Laboratory of the Instituto AdolfoLutz, Ribeirão Preto, because of the presence of foreign bodies, the analyses were performed to determinethe origin of these structures. By means of a binocular stereomicroscope and a light microscope, the foundforeign bodies were compared with the spines from vegetative and reproductive portions of species of severalplant families, as Cactaceae, Caryocaraceae, Malvaceae and Cyperaceae. The foreign materials containedin the panettone were areola of glochidia, a barbed hair or bristle commonly found in fruits and stems ofspecies of Opuntia (Cactaceae) genus. The glochidia were 2 to 3 mm in length, hard, prickly and with smalllateral barbs, the same characteristics found in Opuntia ficus-indica (Indian fig Opuntia).Key words. Indian fig Opuntia, glochidium, food microscopy, foreign matter, food safety, legislation.