Myrceugenia gertii (Myrceugenia gertii)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 220529819

Myrceugenia gertii, Myrceugenia bananalensis, and other threatened Myrceugenia species in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.

Myrceugenia is a genus of plants in the Myrtaceae family, displaying an unusual disjunct distribution between the Andes in Chile and Argentina, and the predominantly mountainous region of Brazil and neighboring countries. Brazilian territories are home to the largest number of species of this genus in the world. It is characterized by a set of morphological features, including tetramerous flowers, predominantly trilocular ovary, and the presence of dibrachiate trichomes. Among the 34 Brazilian species currently recognized (https://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br/FB10631), 14 are in threatened categories according to the IUCN or the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment, or both. This means that 41.17% of the Myrceugenia species in Brazil are at risk of extinction. Therefore, the necessity for conservation actions is evident. The Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund has generously and enthusiastically supported and encouraged me in an unprecedented way. The project aimed to identify and register two species in significant threat categories, along with other potentially undescribed species, found in Brazilian areas with high levels of endemism and concerning forest fragmentation. Myrceugenia gertii was found in relatively well-preserved areas, such as high-end condominiums, where residents maintain the native forest. Myrceugenia bananalensis was observed in Cerrado National Park in Brasília and the surrounding areas. Although the populations are very small, one of them is located within a protected Brazilian federal conservation unit. Among the species found in the mountains of the state of Bahia, I have discovered three materials that seem to be unpublished. The specimens are currently under analysis, but initial conclusions suggest that they belong to species that have not been previously described by science. These findings will be submitted for publication in international journals and for evaluation of risks by the IUCN. The forthcoming projects, in partnership with MBZF, will include conducting a census of Myrceugenia bananalensis and carrying out a survey of Myrceugenia brevipedicellata, the latter of which is seldom researched. Furthermore, molecular studies on the genus have been approved by MBZF. I am grateful to MBZF for their support and am immensely proud to be part of this team of international conservators.