Floristic Elements as Basis for Conservation of Wetlands and Public Policies in Brazil: The Case of Veredas of the Prata River

Abstract

Vereda is the wetland type of the Cerrado, often associated with the buriti palm Mauritia flexuosa. However, in Mato Grosso do Sul veredas may occur without M. flexuosa, generating legal misinterpretation and environmental damages, such as drainage for agriculture. As a case study, we inventoried the flora of natural and drained veredas of the Prata River, pointing out key-species for identification of veredas without M. flexuosa, providing subsidies for their characterization. We recorded 157 species (44 families), most being wet grassland plants and some aquatic macrophytes, 96 species being typical of the flora of veredas, plus woody and weedy species of drained ground. The macrophytes Chara rusbyana, Echinodorus grisebachii, Leptostelma tweediei, Ludwigia major, Nymphaea gardneriana, Piper fuligineum, Sinningia elatior and Utricularia lloydii are from the original flora of undisturbed vereda, the first being a macroalga typical of alkaline swamps. The sawgrass Cladium mariscus subsp. jamaicense occurs on organic soil, associated with filiform tussock grasses and sedges typical of veredas, characteristic in these wetlands, such as Andropogon glaziovii, Anthaenantia lanata, Axonopus comans, Saccharum villosum, Setaria paucifolia, Scleria composita and Rhynchospora albiceps. Our report adds to the scarce knowledge on these wetlands since we found two paludicolous orchids, Cyrtopodium hatschbachii (rare, endangered on the Brazilian redlist) and Bletia catenulata, plus the recent new species Cyperus valiae (Cyperaceae), a sedge endemic to this type of vereda. We present diagnostic indicator species of veredas without M. flexuosa (e.g. Echinodorus grisebachii, Chara rusbyana, Ludwigia sericea, L. major, Lessingianthus bardanoides etc.). As another novelty, we highlight plants indicating drained wetland. Our findings already support an improved law to preserve Cerrado wetlands.

Biological Flora of Coastal Freshwater and Brackish Marshes: Cladium jamaicense Crantz

“…In the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, Thompson-Ambriz et al (2020) recorded sawgrass in inland brackish marsh habitats, and Lara-Domínguez et al (2005) and Munguía-Rosas and Montiel (2014) found sawgrass intermixed with dwarf mangroves. In the wetlands of the Prata River in Brazil, Pott et al (2019) indicated that sawgrass is a dominant species in habitats with other species of sedges and bunch grasses.…”

“…Cladium jamaicense occurs along the Atlantic coast of Mexico, Central America, and Brazil (Escalera-Vázquez et al ., 2019; Hernandez et al ., 2015; Lara-Domínguez et al ., 2005; Munguía-Rosas and Montiel, 2014; Pott et al ., 2019; Rejmánková et al ., 1995; Thompson-Ambriz et al ., 2020). Sawgrass is widely distributed in the Caribbean (Azan and Webber, 2006; Correll and Correll, 1972; Imbert and Delbé, 2006).…”

“…(2005) and Munguía-Rosas and Montiel (2014) found sawgrass intermixed with dwarf mangroves. In the wetlands of the Prata River in Brazil, Pott et al . (2019) indicated that sawgrass is a dominant species in habitats with other species of sedges and bunch grasses.…”