María Silvia Ferrucci

Bio: María Silvia Ferrucci is an academic researcher from Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste. The author has contributed to research in topics: Serjania & Cardiospermum. The author has an hindex of 10, co-authored 96 publications receiving 482 citations. Previous affiliations of María Silvia Ferrucci include National Scientific and Technical Research Council.

Cytotaxonomy of Sapindaceae with special reference to the tribe Paullinieae

Abstract: , 1995;Ferrucci and Solis Neffa, 1997; Solis Neffa and Ferrucci,1997, 1998; Lombello and Forni-Martins, 1998), and chro-mosome numbers of 127 species have been reported andthe complete karyotypes of 35 species are known, althoughonly a few papers give information on interphase nucleusstructure, chromosome condensing behavior, Giemsa C-banding, NOR-banding and nucleolus counts (Eichhorn andFranquet, 1936; Guervin, 1961; Hemmer and Morawetz,1990; Nogueira

Karyotype evolution and phylogenetic analyses in the genus Cardiospermum L. (Paullinieae, Sapindaceae).

Abstract: Cardiospermum L. belongs to the Paullinieae tribe (Sapindaceae) and comprises 16 species. Of these, 12 species are present in South America and all occur in Brazil. Cardiospermum shows the most variable chromosome number of the tribe. Phylogenetic relationships within the genus Cardiospermum, especially with other species of the tribe, are poorly understood. This research focuses on characterisation of the karyotypic features of Cardiospermum using conventional cytogenetic methods, CMA/DAPI chromosome banding and fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH). To elucidate the phylogeny of the genus, the nuclear markers ITS1 and ITS2 were sequenced and analysed using maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference. Cardiospermum shows important diversity in basic numbers, with x = 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12. All species studied have metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes, some species have subtelocentric chromosomes, while telocentric chromosomes are absent. The interphase nuclei differentiate the Cardiospermum species into two groups. The CMA3/DAPI chromosome banding revealed the presence of an AT-rich terminal region in C. corindum, C. grandiflorum and C. urvilleoides, whereas GC-rich regions were found in C. grandiflorum, C. halicacabum var. halicacabum, C. halicacabum var. microcarpum, C. heringeri and C. integerrimum. FISH revealed syntenic and non-syntenic distribution of the 18-5.8-26S and 5S rDNA. The syntenic distribution always occurred in the short arms of the same chromosome in all of the species. The phylogenetic relationships reveal, in part, the taxonomic arrangement of the genus Cardiospermum.

Microsporogenesis and microgametogenesis of Cardiospermum grandiflorum and Urvillea chacoensis (Sapindaceae, Paullinieae)

Abstract: Microsporogenesis and microgametogenesis of two species, Cardiospermum grandiflorum Sw. and Urvillea chacoensis Hunz. (Sapindaceae, Paullinieae), were studied using light and transmission electron microscopy. Both species are monoecious, with staminate and hermaphrodite, although functionally pistillate, flowers. A comparative pollen-development study of these two floral morphs is reported. For the present study, five stages of pollen ontogeny were identified. The development of the anther wall is of basic type. Its wall consists of epidermis, endothecium, two middle layers and a uninucleate secretory tapetum. The microspore tetrads are tetrahedral. The mature anther in staminate flowers presents the endothecium with well developed fibrillar thickenings, remains of tapetal cells, a single locule formed in the theca by dissolution of the septum before anther dehiscence and two-celled pollen grains when shed. In functionally pistillate flowers, the mature anthers present remnants of the middle layers, tapetal cells without signs of degradation, the theca with two locules and pollen grains uni- or bicellular, some of them with the cytoplasm collapsed. These anthers are not dehiscent. It can be concluded that male sterility is characterised by failure to produce functional pollen grains, an event that would be associated with the persistence of tapetal cells. Ultrastructural analysis clearly shows the difference in tapetal cells between the two flower morphs.

Morpho-anatomy and ontogeny of the floral nectaries of Cardiospermum grandiflorum and Urvillea chacoensis (Sapindaceae).

Abstract: The morphology, anatomy and ontogeny the floral nectaries of two species of Sapindaceae (Paullinieae), viz Cardiospermum grandiflorum and Urvillea chacoensis, were studied using light and scanning electron microscopy Both species are monoecious with oblique monosymmetric flowers The floral nectaries are located at the base of the androgynophore Vascular tissue supplying the nectaries consists of phloem Cardiospermum grandiflorum has a posterior nectary with two lobes without any specially differentiated tissue, and with nectarostomata In Urvillea chacoensis the nectary has four lobes; two posterior ones with distinctive nectariferous tissue with nectarostomata on the abaxial side, and two minor anterior ones that are histologically similar but lack nectarostomata The nectaries in both species have a common base with the petals Since the nectaries are macroscopically differentiated they are considered as structural nectaries

Influencia de factores externos sobre la comercialización de plantas medicinales en un medio urbano: el caso de vendedores criollos e indígenas en Corrientes, Argentina

Abstract: Se realizo un estudio comparativo de la venta de plantas medicinales en diferentes modalidades de comercio atendiendo la influencia generada por factores externos, en la ciudad de Corrientes, Argentina. La divergencia de modalidades de venta no solo se caracteriza por la infraestructura en donde se ubican los puestos de venta, sino tambien en la disimilitud etnica y lugar de asentamiento de donde provienen los vendedores. Se documentaron mediante entrevistas semiestructuradas distintos aspectos de la comercializacion, prescripcion y formas de preparacion de las distintas especies medicinales, tambien se utilizaron herramientas estadisticas para comparar el grado de similitud entre ambos grupo de venta e identificar las preguntas mas significativas. Se destacaron como factores externos mas sobresalientes en la venta de plantas medicinales, las acopiadoras, el escenario de venta y la abundante informacion que generan los medios de comunicacion, concluyendose que estos homogenizan al conocimiento e interfieren en la exposicion de las practicas habituales de la medicina popular.

The erosion of biodiversity and biomass in the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot.

Abstract: Tropical forests are being deforested worldwide, and the remaining fragments are suffering from biomass and biodiversity erosion. Quantifying this erosion is challenging because ground data on tropical biodiversity and biomass are often sparse. Here, we use an unprecedented dataset of 1819 field surveys covering the entire Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot. We show that 83−85% of the surveys presented losses in forest biomass and tree species richness, functional traits, and conservation value. On average, forest fragments have 25−32% less biomass, 23−31% fewer species, and 33, 36, and 42% fewer individuals of late-successional, large-seeded, and endemic species, respectively. Biodiversity and biomass erosion are lower inside strictly protected conservation units, particularly in large ones. We estimate that biomass erosion across the Atlantic Forest remnants is equivalent to the loss of 55−70 thousand km2 of forests or US$2.3−2.6 billion in carbon credits. These figures have direct implications on mechanisms of climate change mitigation. Quantifying forest degradation and biodiversity losses is necessary to inform conservation and restoration policies. Here the authors analyze a large dataset for the Atlantic Forest in South America to quantify losses in forest biomass and tree species richness, functional traits, and conservation value.

Phylogenetic Distribution and Identification of Fin-winged Fruits

Abstract: Fin-winged fruits have two or more wings aligned with the longitudinal axis like the feathers of an arrow, as exemplified by Combretum, Halesia, and Ptelea. Such fruits vary in dispersal mode from those in which the fruit itself is the ultimate disseminule, to schizocarps dispersing two or more mericarps, to capsules releasing multiple seeds. At least 45 families and more than 140 genera are known to possess fin-winged fruits. We present an inventory of these taxa and describe their morphological characters as an aid for the identification and phylogenetic assessment of fossil and extant genera. Such fruits are most prevalent among Eudicots, but occur occasionally in Magnoliids (Hernandiaceae: Illigera) and Monocots (Burmannia, Dioscorea, Herreria). Although convergent in general form, fin-winged fruits of different genera can be distinguished by details of the wing number, texture, shape and venation, along with characters of persistent floral parts and dehiscence mode. Families having genera with fin-winged fruits and epigynous perianth include Aizoaceae, Apiaceae, Araliaceae, Asteraceae, Begoniaceae, Burmanniaceae, Combretaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Haloragaceae, Lecythidiaceae, Lophopyxidaceae, Loranthaceae, and Styracaceae. Families with genera having fin-winged fruits and hypogynous perianth include Achariaceae, Brassicaceae, Burseraceae, Celastraceae, Cunoniaceae, Cyrillaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Melianthaceae, Nyctaginaceae, Pedaliaceae, Polygalaceae, Phyllanthaceae, Polygonaceae, Rhamnaceae, Salicaceae sl, Sapindaceae, Simaroubaceae, Trigoniaceae, and Zygophyllaceae. This survey has facilitated the identification of fossil winged fruits such as Combretaceae and Araliaceae in the late Cretaceous of western North America and provides additional evidence toward the identification of various Cenozoic fossils including Brassicaceae, Fabaceae, Polygonaceae, Rutaceae, and Sapindaceae.