ABSTRACT
A morphological and taxonomic analysis of the species of Myrceugenia O. Berg (Myrtaceae) in Itatiaia National Park, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was carried out. In addition to determining the species present in the Park, the usefulness of vegetative and floral characters as diagnostic tools was evaluated. The study includes descriptions, an identification key, observations made in the field and from herbarium collections. Eight taxa were identified: Myrceugenia alpigena (DC.) Landrum var. alpigena; M bracteosa (DC.) D. Legrand & Kausel; M campestris (DC.) D. Legrand & Kausel; M cucullata D. Legrand; M glaucescens var. latior Burret (Landrum); M miersiana (Gardner) D. Legrand & Kausel, M seriatoramosa (Kiaersk.) M ovata var. regnelliana (O. Berg) Landrum and M. seriatoramosa (Kiaersk.) D. Legrand & Kausel. Diagnostic characters found useful were the shapes of the inflorescence, the flower bud, the prophyll and the calyx-lobes, as well as the presence or absence of an intramarginal vein. Vegetative characters alone are not diagnostic to distinguish the species of Myrceugenia in the Park. Two new occurrences for the state of Rio de Janeiro were registered: M campestris and M cucullata.
Key-words:
Myrtaceae; Myrceugenia; Itatiaia; Rio de Janeiro; Atlantic Forest