RESUMO -São apresentados neste trabalho, os padrões de distribuição geográfica dos gêneros de Eriocaulaceae, com ênfase nos gêneros americanos. A divisão genérica da família especialmente na região neotropical ainda não é definitiva, porém existem alguns padrões de distribuição que podem ser detectados. Os nove gêneros americanos, incluem-se em quatro padrões gerais de distribuição: amplamente distribuídos nos trópicos; amplamente distribuído na Ãfrica e Amé-rica do Sul; limitado a América do Norte; limitado a América do Sul.Palavras-chave: Eriocaulaceae, distribuição geográfica, taxonomia.ABSTRACf -A review of the distribution patterns of the genera of Eriocaulaceae are presented. The present state of the systematics of the family in the Neotropics does not alIow for conclusive interpretations on the geographical distribution, but the nine American genera falI in to four broad distributional categories: widely distributed throughout the tropics; widely distributed in Africa and Neotropics; limited to North America and limited to South America. These distributions are discussed and interpreted.

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Paepalanthus is a diverse monocot genus with remarkable diversity distributed in the Neotropical highlands of South America. The genus comprises 410 species arranged in subgenera, sections, subsections and series. Added to this complex classification, Paepalanthus shows considerable morphological heterogeneity and includes three other genera in it, Actinocephalus (Körn.) Sano, Lachnocaulon Kunth and Tonina Aubl. A broadly sampled phylogenetic inference for the genus is still missing, precluding a better understanding of its delimitation and further studies in the group. Here we present the most comprehensive phylogenetic study for Paepalanthus to date, as well as morphological survey of characters that delimit the main lineages found. We assembled a morphologically and geographically representative sampling of Paepalanthus and associated genera comprising 356 accessions in a combined dataset of plastid (trnL-F, psbA-trnH) and nuclear (ITS, ETS) regions. Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods were used for phylogenetic reconstruction. We found that Paepalanthus and 16 of its 28 infrageneric categories are not monophyletic, as well as the closely related genus Actinocephalus. Thirty-six well-supported clades are recognized. Morphological characters show high levels of homoplasy, and concepts traditionally used in the classification of Paepalanthus were found to be inconsistent. We confirmed that Paepalanthus as currently circumscribed is not monophyletic and revealed several new relationships in Eriocaulaceae. To make Paepalanthus monophyletic, the genus must be re-circumscribed. These results also provide a foundation for future investigations of the diversification and evolution of flora of the Neotropical highlands of South America.

The genus Rondonanthus Herzog has until now contained only the species R. roraimae and R. micropetalus and has been defined by free petals in both sexes of flowers and the dioecious condition. It is here redefined according to a large suite of characters, especially the presence of long filamentous staminodes in the pistillate flowers, and b the adnation of the filament base to the corolla in the staminate flowers. Five additional species, including the monotypi genus Wurdackia, are transferred to Rondonanthus, and /f . micropetalus is removed to Paepalanthus. It is proposed that Rondonanthus is a highly primitive paepalanthoid genus, to be taken as a primitive outgroup of SyngonanlhusThe Eriocaulaceae are a pantropical monocot paepalanthoid genera. These are Rondonanthu family of about 13 genera and 1,200 species (Krai, Herzog (1931), Comanthera Lyman B. Smith 1989. Except in rare cases, the flowers are uni- (1937), Carptotepala Mold. (1951, and Wur sexual and the plants monoecious, with the flowers dackia Mold. (1957). borne in scapose heads.Following the lead of Ruhland (1903), all o Ruhland (1903) divided the family into two sub-these genera were described with reference to only families, the Eriocauloideae, characterized by two a few floral characters. None contain more than whorls of stamens and a simple gynoecium, and two species, and none were discussed by their au the Paepalanthoideae, with a single whorl of sta-thors as to their relationships with other genera o mens and vascularized secretory "appendages" in-implications for phylogeny. Recently, the avail serted on the style alternate with the nonvascu-ability of abundant collections from the Venezuelan larized functional style branches. The Eriocauloideae tepuis and their study for Julian Steyermark's Flo are truly pantropical and contain many aquatic r a of the Venezuelan Guay ana {R^n^yoXA, in ^re^. species, while the Paepalanthoideae are almost en-have acutely emphasized the need for study and tirely limited to the New World (with some African reevaluation of these endemic genera. disjuncts), and more xerophytic.In another work (Giulietti & Hensold, 1991) The Paepalanthoideae, which contain 11 of the we discuss the systematic position of Comanthera 13 genera, have two centers of diversity, one in and Carptotepala, concluding that they are syn the Central Brazilian Plateau, especially the Cadeia onyms of Syngonanthus Ruhl. In this work, we do Espinha^o in Minas Gerais and Bahia, and one find the genus Rondonanthus to be valid, though in the Guayana Highland, especially Venezuela. in need of redefinition, and include within it five Botanical exploration of Guayana, in particular the additional endemic Guayanan species currently tepui summits of Venezuela, has only been under-placed in three other genera, including the mono taken recently relative to that of the more acces-typic genus Wurdackia, sible mountains of central Brazil, and has turned Rondonanthus as here recognized is a genus o up many taxa of interest, including four endemic great interes...