Curatella americana L. (Dilleniaceae): First report of occurrence in the Restinga from coastal Amazon

Abstract

We present here the first report of occurrence of Curatella americana L. in the Restinga vegetation from the northern Amazonian coast. The species was collected in a sandy plain on the eastern shore of Marajó Island, Pará state, Brazil. The collection area is occupied by ca. 2 ha of non-flooded Restinga vegetation, located after the reverse of the first dune strands (facing the sea). The area is characterized by shrubs grouped in vegetation islands (bushes) of varying sizes. Curatella americana shrubs may inhabit the interior of bushes or occur isolated among them. The species is widely distributed in the Cerrado (savanna vegetation) from central Brazil and in Amazonian savannas. In the Restinga vegetation, the species is reported to the entire northeastern Brazilian coast, yet with no record in the remaining Restinga areas from southern and southeastern Brazil.