Anatomia ecológica de Orchidaceae Juss. do Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca, MG, Brasil

Abstract

Plant ecological anatomy investigates plants adaptive strategies as to the place they inhabit. The leaves are the vegetative organs of higher phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental factors: solar radiation, temperature, relative humidity and wind speed. The flowers have important clues as occurring chemical interactions with their pollinators. The Ibitipoca State Park (PEIB), MG, Brazil, presents a mosaic of vegetation types, and their soil and weather conditions may influence the adaptation of Orchidaceae, family most representative plants of the park. The goals were to assess: 1- The structure of the elaiophore and the chemical composition of its secretion in Oncidium donianum Bateman ex W.H.Baxter and O. warmingii Rchb.f. of the PEIB; 2- The morphological, anatomical, physiological and chemical leaves adaptations of orchids Hadrolaelia coccinea (Lindl.) Chiron, Pleurothallis rubens Lindl. and Prosthechea pachysepala (Klotzsch) Chiron & VP Castro inside and on the edge of nebular nanofloresta of PEIB; 3- The morphological, anatomical, physiological and chemical leaves adaptations of orchids Zygopetalum maculatum (Kunth) Garay and Epidendrum secundum Jacq. in two elevations, the 1200 and 1784m, of PEIB. Climate measurements were performed with Instrutherm Thal 300 thermohygrograph, in all vegetation types studied in the four seasons. Elaiophores of young, mature and senescent flowers of O. donianum and O. warmingii were collected for morphological and anatomical analysis, as well as for analyses with scanning confocal microscope, laser scanning microscope, transmission microscope and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). For morphological and anatomical analyzes were collected H. coccinea, P. rubens, P. pachysepala leaves in the nebular nanofloresta and edge; and Z. maculatum e E. secundum leaves at different altitudes. Quantification of chlorophylls, histochemical tests and chemical analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detector (HPLC-DAD) were conducted in three leaves collected from three individuals of each species per vegetation type. The phenotypic plasticity index (IPF) was calculated for each morphological, anatomical and physiological variable. To assess the significant difference of each variable between the two vegetation types we used Student t test or nonparametric Mann-Whitney.The global solar radiation (µmmolm-2s-1) was higher at the edge compared to nanofloresta nebular. The elaiophores of O. donianum and O. warmingii are epidermal and secrete lipid material chemically represented by long chain hydrocarbons. Higher flavonoid content was produced by P. pachysepala and P. rubens at the edge, as photoprotective response. The flavonoid synthesis was statistically significant only in the summer and winter seasons, with higher yields and inside edge, respectively, for P. pachysepala and the opposite to P. rubens, which is probably related to the constitutive defense in the first and the second photoprotection. Hadrolaelia coccinea was the most IPF, so most likely to survive the environmental fluctuations and shows greater geographical distribution. The relative humidity and wind speed were higher at 1784m. Zigopetalum maculatum and E. secundum showed different adaptive responses regarding altitudes. Higher average content of flavonoids was produced by Z. maculatum at the 1200m. Epidendrum secundum detected the higher IPF. This work led to contributions to the understanding of the dynamics of adaptations of orchids in PEIB and to adopt preventive measures for its conservation and ecosystem in which they operate.