Key of dendrological identification of the most common species of a Cerrado sensu stricto area, Gurupi, Tocantins state

Abstract

Studies with key dendrological identification are still scarce or incipient, thus promoting a lack of technical and scientific information. Establishment of priorities for future conservation strategies and management plans for Cerrado botanical species. In view of the context, the objective was to elaborate a dichotomous key, based on vegetative characteristics of the shrub-tree species of an area of ​​cerrado sensu stricto, Gurupi-TO state. Five permanent plots of 20×50 m, or 1000 m² each, were systematically allocated, 10 m apart. All shrub-arboreal individuals, with circumference at 1.30 m of soil (CAP) greater than or equal to 10 cm were sampled. The botanical materials of the species, were herbalised following conventional techniques. For the elaboration of the identification key, a selection was made among the 106 species sampled, considering only the species that had a number of individuals greater or equal to 5, in this way 54 species were selected. It should be emphasized that this selection had as objective to include only the species with the greatest recurrence in the cerrado sensu stricto, in order to make the key functionality viable. The identification key based on vegetative characters was composed of 54 shrub-tree species of eudicotiledonias and basal angiosperms, distributed in 47 genera included in 26 botanical families. The preparation of the dendrological identification key was shown to be a functional tool, that is, it allowed a quick and easy identification of the sampled vegetable species.

Keywords:
Dichotomous key; Dendrology; Floristic survey