Checklist of Sapotaceae in Northeastern Brazil

Abstract

The Sapotaceae are a pantropical family of flowering plants composed of approximately 1,250 species. In Brazil, the Sapotaceae are represented by 11 genera and 231 species, 86 of which have been registered in the region of northeastern Brazil. This paper provides a checklist of the Sapotaceae species that occur in a major portion of northeastern Brazil, and aims to document the number of native taxa, update their currently accepted names, and contribute to the Flora of Brazil (Lista de Espécies da Flora do Brasil). Additional information about regional geographic distribution, biomes of occurrence, IUCN status, and vernacular names are provided for each species. A total of nine genera and 46 species were documented and the majority (64%) is restricted to the Atlantic Rainforest. The current study provides an important contribution to our knowledge of the Sapotaceae in the Atlantic Rainforest biome.