Aspectos estruturais e histoquímicos de Anemia SW. (Anemiaceae)

Abstract

Anemiaceae Link is monogenic with 115 species, included in Anemia Sw. with tropical and subtropical distribution, Brazil being the main center of richness with about 60 species of which ten are registered in Pará, occurring mainly on rocky outcrops. The works performed with Anemia do not express the richness and potential that anatomical information can provide in view of the ecological diversity of the genus. In order to partially fill this gap, this study describes the anatomy of sterile leaves of Anemia buniifolia (Gardner) T. Moore, A elegans (Gardner) C.Presl, A oblongifolia (Cav.) Sw., A phyllitidis (L .) Sw., A presliana Prantl and A trichorhiza Gardner ex Hooker present in rocky outcrops, interpreted in light of fern ecological information, the main adaptive characters, besides providing new data for the group taxonomy. Among the main structural characteristics are: stomatal distribution, presence of stegmatas, type of mesophyll, sheath extension, among others. Histochemical tests were also performed on A buniifolia, A oblongifolia, A presliana and A trichorhiza, collected from natural populations, with positive results for phenolic compounds, alkaloids, polysaccharides and proteins in structures such as idioblasts, secretory tissues and trichomes glandular. The results showed that several structural and histochemical characteristics present in Anemia are directly related to the reduction of water loss, having adaptive value to extreme environments with high light intensity and water déficit, such as rocky outcrops. Among these, there are multifunctional characteristics, also acting against herbivory, such as trichomes, stegmates, phenolic compounds, alkaloids and proteins. The anatomical characteristics described in this study, related to abiotic characteristics in which species occur, also increase the knowledge about Anemia, providing unprecedented data and interpretations for the genus.