Abstract
From 1990 to 2006, 2,875 new angiosperm species were described in Brazil, including 280 newBromeliaceae species. This publication rate is considered to be a useful indicator of floristic richness andalso reveals the huge gaps in our knowledge of species that make up Brazilian biomes and the importanceof taxonomy as a basic tool to assess biodiversity and conservation. The goal of modern taxonomists is ina race against time ordained by an unprecedented rate of global biodiversity loss, and therefore collaborationis vital to successfully close these gaps. This paper is the result of a broad cooperative research effortundertaken specifically to provide basic data on the identity of new components of Brazilian biologicaldiversity. The authors describe and illustrate 22 new Bromeliaceae species from three subfamilies: Bromelioideae - Aechmea guaratingensis, A. paratiensis, A. rubroaristata, Cryptanthus capitellatus, C. venecianus, C. viridovinosus, Hohenbergia aechmeoides, H. arcuata, H. barbarespina, H. reconcavensis, Nidularium alegrense, Orthophytum teofilo-otonense, O. cearence; Pitcairnioideae - Dyckia espiritosantensis, D. nana, Pitcairnia capixaba; Tillandsioideae - Tillandsia castelensis, Vriesea euclidiana, V. fontanae, V. multifoliata, V. sanctateresensis and V. teresopolitana.
Key words:
biodiversity; Bromelioideae; new taxa; Pitcairnioideae; taxonomy; Tillandsioideae