Summary1. Tree recruitment in Mediterranean ecosystems is strongly limited at the seedling stage by drought. Increasing evidence shows the critical positive role of the canopy nurse effect on seedling survival which results from direct and indirect, positive and negative interactions between species. 2. Most studies, however, have only focused on the effects of tree canopy on water and light, ignoring other critical factors affecting seedling regeneration, such as canopy effects on high temperatures and the competing herb biomass. 3. Here, we evaluate how tree canopy cover and removal of herbs affect the survival and growth of seedlings of two dominant Mediterranean Quercus species during a 3-year study.We use an integrated model that combines several data sets to quantify and predict regeneration dynamics along environmental gradients of soil moisture, temperature and light. 4. Low soil moisture, increased soil temperature and herb biomass negatively affected seedling survival of both Quercus species. Seedling growth was positively associated with increasing soil moisture and light. 5. Although tree canopy cover directly facilitated seedling survival in both Quercus species, it also negatively affected herb biomass and thus indirectly facilitated the survival of Quercus suber, but not of Quercus ilex seedlings at low levels of soil moisture. 6. Overall, tree canopies increased seedling survival but not growth during the establishment phase, mainly by ameliorating the effects of low soil moisture and high temperatures. Tree canopy indirectly facilitated survival of Q. suber seedlings by negatively affecting the competing herb layer. 7. Synthesis and applications. To improve tree recruitment and conserve Mediterranean Quercus woodlands, the removal of herbs should be integrated into management plans for dry habitats. Interactions between abiotic and biotic factors may also effect the regeneration of these tree species. In particular, a healthy tree canopy will become important for providing conditions to facilitate seedling establishment if these habitats become drier and warmer, as predicted by some climate change scenarios.

The shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora.

ResumoO presente estudo tem como objetivo contribuir para o conhecimento das espécies de Lentibulariaceae ocorrentes no estado do Rio de Janeiro. O trabalho tem por base a análise morfológica de materiais depositados em herbários e coletas de campo, além da compilação de dados de literatura. Foram registrados dois gêneros e 20 espécies. Chave para identificação, descrições, ilustrações, dados sobre floração e frutificação, hábitat, fenologia e distribuição geográfica das espécies são apresentados. Palavras-chave: Utricularia, Genlisea, florística, planta carnívora, taxonomia. AbstractThis study focuses on the Lentibulariaceae found in the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is based on a morphological analysis of herbaria collections, as well as on a review of the relevant literature and on collections in the field. A total of two genera and 20 species were recorded for the state. An identification key, descriptions, illustrations, flowering and fruiting data, habitat and species distribution are also provided.

ResumoO presente estudo tem como objetivo contribuir para o conhecimento das espécies de Pontederiaceae ocorrentes no estado do Rio de Janeiro. O trabalho tem por base a análise morfológica de materiais depositados em herbários e coletas de campo, além da compilação de dados de literatura. Foram registrados três gêneros e cinco espécies: Eichhornia azurea, Eichhornia crassipes, Heteranthera reniformis, Pontederia cordata e Pontederia sagittata. Chave para identificação, descrições, dados sobre hábitat, fenologia e distribuição geográfica das espécies são apresentados. Palavras-chave: aguapé, florística, planta aquática, taxonomia. AbstractThis study focuses on the Pontederiaceae found in the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is based on a morphological analysis of herbaria collections, as well as on a review of the relevant literature and on collections in the field. A total of three genera and five species were recorded for the state: Eichhornia azurea, Eichhornia crassipes, Heteranthera reniformis, Pontederia cordata and Pontederia sagittata. An identification key, descriptions, habitat data, phenology, and species distribution are also provided.

ResumoO presente estudo tem como objetivo contribuir para o conhecimento das espécies de Rizophoraceae ocorrentes no estado do Rio de Janeiro. O trabalho tem por base a análise morfológica de materiais depositados em herbários e coletas de campo, além da compilação de dados de literatura. Foi registrada uma espécie: Rhizophora mangle. Descrições, dados sobre hábitat, fenologia e distribuição geográfica das espécies são apresentados. Palavras-chave: Rhizophora, florística, mangue-vermelho, taxonomia. AbstractThis study focuses on the Rizophoraceae found in the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is based on a morphological analysis of herbaria collections, as well as on a review of the relevant literature and on collections in the field. A total of one species were recorded for the state: Rhizophora mangle. Descriptions, habitat data, phenology, and species distribution are also provided.