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Background and aims: Respiratory diseases, such as asthma, rhinitis and allergies, are increasing worldwide, in association with a greater presence of different etiological triggers in the air, from which pollen is one of the most important. These evidences show the importance of monitoring airborne pollen concentrations for preventive or possible control purposes. This paper reports the incidence and prevalence of airborne pollen content as well as the allergenic pollen types present in the air of Sunchales city (Santa Fe, Argentina) during two study periods (August - November 2012, August - December 2013) aiming to present a preliminary pollen monitoring for the city. M&M: The samples were collected with a Burkard trap located 1.3 m above the ground with a suction volume of 0.6 m3 h-1. The entire slide was analyzed with an optical microscope at 400x final magnification. The daily concentration (gr m-3) was determined for the recognized pollen types. Pollen recognition and their allergenicity were determined with specialized literature. Results & Conclusions: Compared to other cities in the country, species richness is high, although the daily concentration for the period analyzed is low. The majority of the captured pollen (about 70%) corresponds to only four pollen types (Cupressaceae, Moraceae, Poaceae and Urticaceae) reported in the literature as allergens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Didymosphenia geminata is a freshwater diatom that forms dense soggy carpet-like layers lining the bottom of aquatic environments. In Argentina the Secretaría de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable de la Nación declared it exotic invader species. In the last 9 years it has colonized rivers from Patagonia and its distribution in the region has considerably widen. The aim of this paper is to analyze current distribution of this species invasion in Argentinean Patagonia through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). M&M: The analyzed data were obtained by our team in Neuquén and Chubut provinces and also from technical reports published by universities or governmental institutions in websites. A database at regional scale from Neuquén to Tierra del Fuego was built considering presence-absence data, geographic position and dates and in some cases environmental data (pH, conductivity, etc.) Results: The results were incorporated to a GIS using Q-Gis 2.14 an open source and free software that allowed us to generate distribution maps at national and provincial level. Conclusions: The available data show that D. geminata has widen its distribution since 2010 to present from Chubut province to the north reaching Neuquén province and to the south up to Tierra del Fuego province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Didymosphenia geminata is a freshwater diatom that forms dense soggy carpet-like layers lining the bottom of aquatic environments. In Argentina the Secretaría de Ambiente y desarrollo Sustentable de la nación declared it exotic invader species. In the last 9 years it has colonized rivers from Patagonia and its distribution in the region has considerably widen. The aim of this paper is to analyze current distribution of this species invasion in Argentinean Patagonia through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). M&M: The analyzed data were obtained by our team in neuquén and Chubut provinces and also from technical reports published by universities or governmental institutions in websites. A database at regional scale from neuquén to Tierra del Fuego was built considering presence-absence data, geographic position and dates and in some cases environmental data (pH, conductivity, etc.) Results: The results were incorporated to a GIS using Q-Gis 2.14 an open source and free software that allowed us to generate distribution maps at national and provincial level. Conclusions: The available data show that D. geminata has widen its distribution since 2010 to present from Chubut province to the north reaching neuquén province and to the south up to Tierra del Fuego province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breeding system and pollination of woody species in a subtropical forest invaded by alien plants. In the riparian forest of Punta Lara (Buenos Aires province, Argentina) seven woody bird-dispersed species coexist, five of which are native (Ocotea acutifolia, Allophylus edulis, Myrsine laetevirens, Blepharocalyx salicifolius and Citharexylum montevidense), and two are invasive aliens (Rubus ulmifolius and Ligustrum lucidum). While seed dispersal of these species has been studied, other aspects of their reproduction are unknown. In this paper we studied the breeding systems, the quality of the pollination service they receive and their floral visitors. All species are xenogamous. One species (M. laetevirens) is anemophilous and the others are visited mostly by Diptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera. For most of the native species the pollination service seems insufficient. In A. edulis and B. salicifolius natural fruit set was lower than that of hand cross-pollinated flowers, only O. acutifolia and the two exotic showed stigmatic pollen loads sufficient to achieve maximum seed production. A possible explanation for the patterns found lies in the reduction of populations of native species due to the expansion of the aliens, particularly L. lucidum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About the presence of Megalastrum substrigosum (Dryopteridaceae) in Argentina. This paper presents the first record of Megalastrum substrigosum from Argentina, in Department San Pedro, Misiones province. We present a description of the species, a distribution map, and illustrations of the diagnostic characters. A dichotomous key is included to differentiate the three Megalastrum species from Misiones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tillandsia mollis H. Hrom. & W. Till is a rare species from the mountains of southern Bolivia. This paper reports T. mollis var. reptans, an entity that inhabits the high level of the Sierras of Calilegua (Jujuy, Argentina). The new variety differs from the typical for its smaller size, creeping habit and brown-reddish flowers. A detailed description of the novelty, a key to differentiate the two varieties, drawings, photographs and a map, are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the occasion of preparing the Flora of Cordoba, new records for the Argentinean flora have been registered as a result of intensive field trips and the revision of the main herbaria collections of the country. In this paper, three new records for the native flora and 17 for the introduced flora (casual aliens and naturalized species) of Argentina are presented. Descriptions, illustrations and a lectotypification are done. Furthermore, the presence of 10 introduced species is formally documented for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Berberis (Berberidaceae) from the mountains of northwestern Argentina and southern Bolivia. In this paper, Berberis calilehua, which inhabits the humid mountains, above 3,000 m asl, is described. This species has morphological similarities with Andean species of Peru and Bolivia but differs from those by combination of characters such as solitary flowers, fruit with conspicuous style, leaf margin toothed spinose, open dichotome venation. A detailed description of the proposed entity, a key differentiating related species, illustrations and photographs are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, it is mentioned for the first time for Argentine flora the presence of the genus Kummerowia Schindl. (Leguminosae, Desmodieae): in the province of Misiones K. striata (Thunb.) Schindl was found naturalized at road edges and other environments. The description and illustration of this species, distribution and habitats, uses and reference materials are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]