Morfometria geométrica do labelo em Scaphyglottis (Laeliinae, Orchidaceae), com ênfase nas espécies ocorrentes no Brasil

Abstract

The genus Scaphyglottis Poepp. & Endl. belongs to the subtribe Laeliinae and has about 78 species distributed from Mexico to Bolivia and Brazil. The Scaphyglottis genus often has small, non-showy flowers, making the identification process difficult. In Brazil, 14 species are found and 12 occur in the Amazon region. However, the delimitation of some taxa is not well defined, resulting in some species complexes. Here, we analyzed the delimitation of species within the Scaphyglottis genus. We propose to develop a morphometric study to analyze the lip morphological variation in Brazilian species of the genus Scaphyglottis. Additionally, we present a new record of Scaphyglottis punctulata (Rchb. f.) C. Schweinf. for Brazil, a species that occurs in high-altitude regions in the Brazilian portion of the Guiana Shield. We also show, through PCA and CVA analyses, that the geometric morphometry of the lip can delimit species of Scaphyglottis in Brazil. Further population research and molecular analysis are needed to support the delimitation of Brazilian Scaphyglottis species.