Checklist of Sapindaceae in a Seasonal Semideciduous Forest fragment in southern Brazil: Caiuá Ecological Station

Abstract

In this study, we carried out a survey of the Sapindaceae family at the Caiuá Ecological Station, on the left bank of the Paranapanema river in order to increase the knowledge of the flora of Paraná State and its riparian areas. We also made ​​a survey of the periods of flowering and fruiting of the species, as well the dispersion syndrome. This protected area has ​​1449.48 ha and it is located between 22º29’S and 52º51’W, in the county Diamante do Norte, state of Paraná, Brazil, in the phytogeographical domain of the Atlantic Forest, Seasonal Semideciduous Forest phytophysiognomy. The study material was obtained from expeditions of collections and the collections from the Herbaria of the State University of Maringá (HUEM) and the State University of Londrina (FUEL). Twenty species were recognized, grouped in nine genera, four tribes and one subfamily. Among the tribes, Paullinieae had the highest species richness, with four genera and 13 species, and among the genera, Serjania was the richest, with eight species. All species are native of Brazil, and Cupania tenuivalvis is also endemic. Serjania tripleuria is a new citation for the state of Paraná and for Southern Brazil as well. One genus and eleven species are new records for the study area. There was a higher concentration of flowering species during the months from May to September and, for fruiting species, from July to November. Twelve species were anemochorics, seven zoochorics and one barochoric.