TAXONOMY OF MELASTOMATACEAE JUSS. IN THE BRAZILIAN CERRADO: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE (2012-2021)

Resumo

We present a systematic review of the current taxonomic knowledge of Melastomataceae in the Brazilian Cerrado, covering the period from 2012 to 2021. The review includes a historical approach to the studies carried out in this period, as well as the circumscriptions of the family, tribes and genera. Additionally, studies on new species, studies on the flora that represent the group, and its geographic distribution in the different phytophysiognomies of the Cerrado and Brazilian regions, along with reviews of genera, are also addressed. The objective of this work is to highlight the importance of taxonomic studies in the Brazilian Cerrado, to value existing knowledge, and to offer contributions on the potential of these researches, as well as future studies in areas that are still lacking. To carry out the systematic review, the search strategy was used with the descriptors: Melastomataceae (and) Cerrado (and) Brazil, in the databases of Periódico CAPES and Google Scholar. Initially, 5,904 publications were identified. After reading the title and abstract, 320 works that met the inclusion criteria were evaluated. In the second stage, the publications were read, and 155 were selected that aligned with the objectives of this study. Most studies focus on the description of new species, with the largest number of publications in the years 2016, 2018 and 2019, mainly in areas of rocky fields). A total of 76 municipalities were cited, distributed in 10 Brazilian states and the Federal District, with the largest number of taxonomic studies of Melastomataceae found in the states of Minas Gerais, Goiás and Bahia. Five journals stood out: Phytotaxa, Systematic Botany, Rodriguésia, Kew Bulletin and Brittonia. The Federal University of Uberlandia presented the largest number of publications of Course Completion Work and dissertations. Specialist researchers from the Federal University of Uberlândia, State University of Campinas, State University of Maringá, University of Brasília, State University of Feira de Santana, Federal University of Goiás and The New York Botanical Garden (USA) also stood out. The use of the free-walking methodology was observed instead of the fixed area plot allocation method. Based on this information, the relevance of this study is emphasized, as it addresses lesser-explored regions of the Cerrado in relation to the flora of Melastomataceae, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the diversity of this group in the ecosystem. This systematic literature mapping can contribute to the improvement of the group's regional data for the Cerrado.