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The Calimayo stream is part of the Salí river basin, the main fluvial network in the region. This lotic system was recognized for its great biodiversity. The settlement of a paper industry altered its ecological conditions due to the production of polluting effluents. The aim of this study was to analyze the phytoplankton of the Calimayo stream in relation to water quality. Sampling was done under a seasonal basis from Winter 2012 to Autumn 2013 at three sites S1, S2, and S3. Environmental and biological samples were collected following standard procedures. The highest values of temperature, pH and electric conductivity were registered in sites S2 and S3. Site S1 had the maximum values of dissolved oxygen and the lower biochemical oxygen demand. Diatoms excelled qualitatively and quantitatively among the other algal groups. Redundancy analysis (RDA) allowed to differentiate two phytoplanktonic groups related to abiotic variables. Site S1 was influenced by seasonality, relief, lithology and physicochemistry of water, denoting good ecological conditions. At S2 and S3 the phycoflora was affected by the trophic state of the water and the pollutants, which caused a notable deterioration of water quality and phytoplankton. Phytoplankton resulted to be a good indicator of the ecological conditions of this lotic system. We can affirm that the limnological conditions of the Calimayo stream from the 90s to the present have been degraded to the presence of industrial effluents.

The “cardón”, Trichocereus atacamensis, is an emblematic species in the Quebrada de Humahuaca (Jujuy, Argentina). However, although data can be found scattered throughout the literature, its ethnobotany has never been studied in depth. The aim of the present paper is to conduct a comprehensive ethnobotanical study of T. atacamensis in the Department of Tilcara (Jujuy, Argentina), among members of the Kolla people, to shed light on the complex interrelations between this human group and the “cardón”. The information collected includes narratives, uses, knowledge of the morphology, qualities, ecological and phenological distribution, details of the role of these cacti in the area and other aspects on the relationship between the plants and the people. Results suggest that the phytosanitary state of both the “cardones” and the study area is of concern, and that the very close links with the “cardón”, in accordance with traditional cultural patterns and conceptions, are fiercely maintained despite the socioenvironmental changes. This study also highlights the pressing need to devise strategies to gain a better insight into the phytosanitary state of the “cardones” and their habitat, and thus safeguard local relations and knowledge associated with them

In this work, we analyzed data from ethnobotanical surveys of functional and nutraceutical legumes (Leguminosae) commercialized in the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The surveys took place in outlets of the general commercial circuit and the restricted circuits belonging to Bolivian and Chinese immigrants. We recorded the species, its products, local therapeutic uses, and available published data on biological activity and effects. Nineteen species were found: Arachis hypogaea var. hypogaea, Cicer arietinum, Glycine max, Lablab purpureus, Lens culinaris, Lupinus albus, L. mutabilis, Medicago sativa, Phaseolus lunatus, P. vulgaris, Pisum sativum, Prosopis alba, Tamarindus indica, Trifolium repens, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Vicia faba, Vigna angularis, V. radiata and V. unguiculata var. unguiculata. Most of these species (15) were found in the general commercial circuit, whereas the rest (4) only in the restricted commercial circuits of immigrants, including L. mutabilis, which deserves a wider diffusion. In most cases, the local uses assigned to a surveyed species correspond to the information available in the literature on the species’ biological activity and effects. This paper provides new insights for ethnobotanical studies and highlights the therapeutic relevance of legumes in the study area.

Bolivia is reagarded as the probable place of origin of the domesticated peanut, and an important world center of unique peanut diversity. As the first published study of its kind or peanut, this paper identifies and describes the infraspecific diversity of the crop in its country of origin and center of diverstity. 62 distinct landraces of Bolivian peanut were identified and systematically described. 42 landraces belong to Arachis hypogaea L. ssp. hypogaea var. hypogaea; 17 to A. hypogaea ssp. fastigiata var. fastigiata; one to A. hypogaea ssp. fastigiata var.vulgaris; and two to A. hypogaea ssp. fastigiata var. peruviana. With very few exceptions, the landraces encountered in Bolivia are almost entirely endemic to that country. The most typical peanuts from Bolivia pertain to the landraces “Crema”, “Colorado San Simón”, “Bayo americano”, “Overo”, and “Overo carenado”, which are widely cultivated throughout the country. A few regions of unusually high peanut diversity can be identified. In the Yungas region of La Paz, 11 landraces were collected, of which three are endemic. In the mountainous regions of Santa Cruz and Cochabamba, 18 landraces were collected, of which six are endemic. The Department of Tarija yielded 14 landraces , of which two are endemic. All of the aforementioned landraces pertain to the botanical variety hypogaea. In contrast, the subspecies fastigiata has a remarkable center or diversity in the watershed of the Rio Beni, where 10 landraces were collected in a fairly small area, nine of which are endemic to that region. This monograph is intended to enhance the knowledge and appreciation of peanut diversity, and facilitate the conservation and use of peanut landraces by scientistis, plant breeders, and farmers

Hibiscus section Furcaria is a natural group of plants that presently includes 109 recognized taxa. Taxa are found in subsaharan Africa, India, southeastern Asia, Malesia, Australia, islands of the Pacific basin, the Caribbean, North, Central, and South America. The basic chromosome number is x = 18. In nature, ploidy levels range from diploid to decaploid. The taxa exhibit a remarkable amount of genome diversity. At least 13 genomes have been identified, some distributed widely and others with more restricted distributions. No modern taxonomic monograph ofHibiscus section Furcaria exists, but a number of regional studies have appeared that are essentially global in extent. Also, a number of studies of chromosome numbers and genome relationships have been published. The present paper includes a census of all the presently accepted taxa, the geographical distribution of each taxon, and chromosome numbers and genome designations of the 49 taxa for which the information is available. Important mechanisms of speciation include genome divergence at the diploid level, followed by hybridization and allopolyploidy, significant species radiation at the tetraploid and hexaploid levels, and the development of even higher levels of allopolyploids.

Turnera L. is arranged in 9 series. In this paper the revision of the species with floral nectar pockets is presented: series Anomalae Urb. and series Turnera. Within the latter 2 subseries are proposed, Turnera and Umbilicatae Arbo, differenciated upon morphology and cytogenetics. Series Anomalae has racemose inflorescences, the peduncle free or attached to the petiole, or sometimes lacking; series Turnera has 1-flowered epiphyllous inflorescences. Series Anomalae includes 14 species which live between 02-24ºS and 35-65ºW, in the Amazonian and Chaco forests, the following being new: T. amazonica, T. discors, T. involucrata, T. kuhlmanniana, T. laciniata, T. reginae, T. sancta and T. bahiensis var. truncata. Subseries Umbilicatae lives in Bahia and surroundings, up to 1600 m, it has 8 species being new T. coriacea var. solium. Subseries Turnera has a distribution similar to that of the genus as a whole, in a variety of environments; it has 19 species, 3 being new: T. campanulata, T. fernandezii and T. occidentalis; several species are weedy, 2 having reached the Old World. Keys, illustrations and distribution maps are provided.

Mattfeldanthus H. Rob. & R. M. King constitutes one of the few South American genera of Vernonieae with zygomorphic corollas. It has two species endemic to northeastern Brazil that occur in “caatinga” and “campo rupestre” vegetation. The species can be distinguished from each other by several morphological features including the shape of their involucres, capitulum number, floret size and phyllary shape. In this paper the two species of Mattfeldanthus

A taxonomic revision of the Brazilian species of the genus Macroditassa Malme (Apocynaceae- sclepiadoideae) is presented. The genus belongs to the subfamily Asclepiadoideae R.Br. ex Burnett, tribe Asclepiadeae (R.Br.) Duby, subtribe Metastelmatinae Endl. ex Meisn. and is the most closely related to the Ditassa R.Br. genus. Macroditassa has 14 taxa of which 11 are found in Brazil, where they occurr in the Atlantic forest, disturbed areas, clearings and gullies, "cerrado", "cerradão", "campo rupestre", campos" (high-altitude savannas) and sandy coast plains ("restingas"). In this paper the identification key of the taxa, descriptions and illustrations, data on flowering and fruiting, as well as maps showing the geographic distribution are presented.

In this paper embryos and seedlings of six native woody species of Northeast of Argentina are studied: Chrysophyllum marginatum (Hook. et Arn.) Radlk. subsp. marginatum (Sapotaceae),Eugenia uniflora L., Hexachlamys edulis (O. Berg) Kausel et D. Legrand (Myrtaceae), Polygala albicans (A.W. Benn.) Grondona (Polygalaceae), Sapium haematospermun Müll. Arg. and Sebastiania brasiliensis Spreng. (Euphorbiaceae). Descriptions and illustrations of seeds, embryos, germination and seedlings are given

The nomenclature, taxonomy, and synonymy of various South American Amaranthaceae are discussed. Two new genera are described, Hebanthodes Pedersen with only one new speciesfrom Peru, H. peruviana Pedersen, and Lecosia Pedersen with two new species from NE Brazil, L. formicarum Pedersen and L. oppositifolia Pedersen. Seven new species, Alternantherapiptantha Pedersen, Gomphrena Hatschbachiana Pedersen, G. riparia Pedersen, Guilleminea chacoensis Pedersen, G. fragilis Pedersen, G. hirsuta Pedersen and Pfaffia argyrea Pedersen, one new subspecies, Alternanthera Kurtzii subsp. sclerosperma Pedersen, and three varieties, Alternanthera hirtula var. hirsuta Pedersen, Alternanthera hirtula varo nitens Pedersen and Pfaffia fruticulosa varo diffusa Pedersen are described. Three new combinations, Hebanthe eriantha (Poir.) Pedersen, Iresine diffusa forma Herbstii (Hook.) Pedersen, and Pedersenia Hassleriana (Chodat) Pedersen, are proposed. A key to the species of Guilleminea discussed in this paper and a key synthesizing the characters separating Hebanthodes from its immediate allies are provided.

Turnera L. includes around 100 American species and two African ones, arranged in nine series. In this paper, the following four series embracing 21 species are revised: Annulares, Capitatae, Microphyllae and Papilliferae. Six new taxa are described: Thatschbachii, Thatschbachii var. miniata, Tmaracasana,and T.princeps of the seriesCapitatae, Tasymmetrica of the series Microphyllae, and Tcaatingana of the series Papilliferae. The species of these four series share the common features of simple and glandular hairs, generally well-developed floral peduncle, absent pedicel, linear or elliptic prophylls, generally warty or granulate fruit, and a floral tube, appendicular in nature, in that it is the product of the fusion of the lower part of the calyx and corolla, with the staminal filaments adnate only at the base. In the series Annulares,Microphyllae and Papilliferae the leaves and young stems are fragrant, the scent being produced by the glandular hairs, and the floral peduncle is shortly adnate to the petiole. Threeseries, Annulares, Capitatae and Microphyllae, have leaves with generally well developed stipules and a disjunct geographical distribution. The series Annulares and Capitatae have nectaries and villous or hirsute styles, while Microphyllae and Papilliferae lack nectaries and their styles are glabrous or somewhat pilose. In some species of Microphyllae the staminal filaments are joined at the base, forming an annular structure 0,05-0,50 mm high. The seeds are peculiar in Annulares, being very short, with a central, prominent and slightly concave chalaza. In the series Capitatae, the flowers are gathered in short, capitate inflorescences, the length of the peduncles being variable or sometimes wanting, and the seeds are obovoid, reticulate or striate. The leaves of Microphyllae are small, with the stipules adnate to the foliarbase; setiform glandular hairs, similar to those of Piriqueta, are exclusive to Turnera collotricha. The only series in the genus with stipitate glandular hairs is Papilliferae. Keys for theidentification of series and species as well as illustrations and distribution maps are provided.

In the present paper the author updates the taxonomic and floristic knowledge of foliicolous lichenized fungi, Calenia and Tricharia (Gomphillaceae), in Argentina and Paraguay. Thefollowing taxa are reported for the first time: Calenia depressa, C. phyllogena, and Tricharia purulhensis. The new taxon Tricharia urceolata varo paraguayensis is described