Illustrated Guide of Arboreal Leguminosae Juss. in the Corredor de Biodiversidade Santa Maria - PR

Leguminosae represents one of the leading families in floristic and phytosociological studies. Such variety can lead to difficulties in identification, particularly in sterile sample collection. The aim of this study was to prepare an illustrated guide with tips from the field, as well as an identification key addressing the major vegetative diagnostic features of Leguminosae trees from the Corredor de Biodiversidade de Santa Maria, which binds the protection strip of Itaipu Lake to the Iguaçu National Park. This corridor brings together several remnants of the Floresta Estacional Semidecidual in south-western Paraná and reforested areas. Samples have been collected in different areas of the corridor, three forest remnants (Iguaçu National Park, the Legal Reserve of Fazenda São José, Private Reserve of Natural Heritage Fazenda Santa Maria), and two reforested areas (Range Dry and Range of Itaipu Lake Protection). Legumes collected were photographed in the field, with prosumer camera, recording morphological and vegetative stem rhytidome, staining the inner bark and/or sapwood, exudate, analysis of the format of the leaflets, the presence of spines, glands, extrafloral nectaries, hairiness, and when present, reproductive structures. The samples were identified and housed at Herbário da Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (UNOP). Were found 29 species of Leguminosae, for which were designed with guide plates, illustrating the main diagnostic vegetative characteristics, as well as a dichotomous key to assist in the identification of Leguminosae species present in southwestern Paraná. The specimen features trunk as rhytidome, inner bark and/or sapwood, shape and color of the leaflets, presence of exudate, prickles, hairiness, extrafloral nectaries or glands were of great value in the field, which allowed the identification of species of Leguminosae of the Corredor de Biodiversidade Santa Maria.

identification guide; dichotomous key; Fabaceae; vegetative characters