Sistemática de heterocondylus R.M. King & H. Rob. (Eupatorieae, Asteraceae)

Abstract

Heterocondylus R.M. King & H. Rob. belongs to the subtribe Ayapaninae R.M. King & H. Rob., from Eupatorieae Cass. (Asteraceae), and was described from a group of species from Eupatorium L. with slightly distorted carpopodium, with cell walls distinctly thickened, and an enlarged and variably hairy style base. Its heterogeneous morphology as well as the similarity of some of its species with Campuloclinium DC. (from the subtribe Gyptidinae R.M. King & H. Rob.) raise doubts about their monophyly and phylogenetic relationships with the rest of Ayapaninae. Furthermore, the presence of various taxonomic and nomenclatural problems and the presence of species complexes show the need of a taxonomic study to Heterocondylus. Thus, in order to address these issues, we performed cladistic analyses with evidence of DNA (ITS and trnLF) and morphological characters, and with the combination of these datasets. Also a morphometric study with two species complexes and the taxonomic treatment were accomplished to the genus. We found that all the phylogenetic inferences revealed a non monophyletic Heterocondylus. The morphological characters used to circumscribe the genus were not sufficient to group its species. Heterocondylus will be a natural group with the inclusion of Alomiella R.M. King & H. Rob., Ayapanopsis R.M. King & H. Rob. and Monogereion G.M. Barroso & R.M. King or with the description of a new genus to include part of Heterocondylus species. We reduced the 14 species previously accepted for Heterocondylus to seven in the present study. Eupatorium semiamplexifolium G.S.S. Almeida & Carv.-Okano and H. itacolumiensis (Sch. Bip. ex Baker) R.M. King & H. Rob. were synonymized under H. alatus (Vell.) R.M. King & H. Rob., based on the morphometric study of the three species. Also based on morphometric studies, H. inesiae R. Esteves, H. jaraguensis (B.L. Rob.) R.M. King & H. Rob. and H. reitzii R.M. King & H. Rob. were synonymized under H. pumilus (Gardner) R.M. King & H. Rob. The synonymy of H. pandurifolius (Baker) R.M. King & H. Rob. under H. amphidictyus (DC.) R.M. King & H. Rob., and H. grandis (Sch. Bip. ex Baker) R.M. King & H. Rob. and Heterocondylus leptolepis (Baker) R.M. King & H. Rob. under H. decipiens (Baker) R.M. King & H. Rob. were done based on examination of specimens of the species. In addition, descriptions of H. lysimachioides (Chod.) R.M. King & H. Rob., H. macrocephalus H. Rob. and H. vitalbae (DC.) R.M. King & H. Rob. are presented. Identification key, illustrations, photographs and distribution maps for the species of Heterocondylus are presented.