Verbenaceae from the Parque Estadual do Biribiri, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Abstract

We present the floristic treatment for the Verbenaceae from the Parque Estadual do Biribiri, located at the Diamantina Plateau, Espinhaço Range, State of Minas Gerais. With a current extension of 16,998.66 ha, this state conservation unit integrates an area of special biological importance, with vegetation represented predominantly by campos rupestres. After fieldwork and herbaria consultation we found 14 taxa of Verbenaceae included in three genera: Lantana fucata, Lippia alba, Lippa corymbosa, Lippia diamantinensis, Lippia hederifolia, Lippia hermannioides, Lippia lacunosa, Lippia origanoides, Lippia pseudothea, Lippia raoniana, Lippia rotundifolia, Lippia stachyoides var. martiana, Stachytarpheta glabra and Stachytarpheta reticulata. We highlight the occurrence of Lippia raoniana, preliminarily assessed as critically endangered, within the limits of the Park, expanding the knowledge about its geographic distribution. In order to recognize each taxon, we provided morphological descriptions, identification key, pictures, along with taxonomic and ecological comments.