Abstract
The genus Mikania is comprised of approximately 450 species, most of which, have neotropical distribution. Mikania is a monophyletic genus and can be easily recognized by the capitula with four phyllaries, four florets surrounded by a subinvolucral bract. This study aims to provide an inventory of Mikania in the Ceará state, northeast Brazil. The collections of the herbaria ALCB, EAC, HCDAL, HUEFS, HVASF, IPA, K, NY, P and R; data and images available on the websites SpeciesLink, JSTOR and Virtual Herbarium Reflora and specialized literature were analyzed, besides samples obtained through field expeditions. Mikania is represented in Ceará by eight species, of which three are new records for the state. Mikania biformis is also a new record in the Northeastern region. Mikania elliptica and M. ternata were collected in the rainforest areas. The former, until now was only recorded in the states of Bahia and Minas Gerais, in the Caatinga and Cerrado; while the latter, in Bahia and the South and Southeastern regions of Brazil, in the Cerrado and Mata Atlântica. The other species (M. congesta, M. cordifolia, M. micrantha, M. psilostachya and M. vitifolia) are widely distributed in Brazil.
Key words:
Compositae; diversity; floristic; Neotropics
