Asteraceae diversity in earthmounds in Southwestern Goias, Brazil

Abstract

Campos de murundus or covoal (earthmounds) is one of the less floristically known phytophysiognomies of the Cerrado, in which the arboreal component is more studied than the herbaceous-subshrub components. We present a floristic survey of Asteraceae family in campo de murundus in the municipality of Jataí, state of Goias, Brazil. The collections were made using the walking method. A total of 41 species was recorded, from which 34 species are autochthonous and seven are allochthonous to the Cerrado. The species number found is higher than that registered in campo de murundu” of Araguaia State Park, and only Ayapana amygdalina and Chrysolaena obovata are common to both areas. Species common to the studied area and 14 other localities in the Cerrado are Achyrocline alata, A. satureioides, Ayapana amygdalina, Mikania officinalis, and Chromolaena laevigata. Some species are endemic and from these, two are restricted to the Cerrado, one of them is new to science. Only one of the registered species is recorded as occurring in campos de murundus in the Brazilian Cerrado checklist. This study is the first carried out for Asteraceae in campos de murundus and we hope to contribute to expanding the knowledge of species occurring in this phytophysiognomy.

Key words:
Compositae; covoal; herbaceous-subshrub flora; parque de cerrado