Emprego de estudos genéticos na taxonomia de Leguminosae Juss.

Abstract

Leguminosae Juss. comprises one of the largest families of angiosperms with approximately 770 genera and 19,500 species. In Brazil it is estimated about 2,756 species, of which 1,507 are endemic covering an area of approximately 11% of the national territory, also including the Caatinga domain with about 603 species represented. In its recent taxonomic classification, the family is divided into six subfamilies: Duparquetioidea, Cercidoideae, Detarioideae, Dialioideae; Caesalpinioidea and Papilionoidea. The objective of this work was to carry out a bibliographic survey about the main methodologies of cytogenetics and molecular genetics most used in the taxonomy of Leguminosae. Despite containing a high rate of 84% of the species analyzed, many of these records lack more in-depth data that help and clarify the taxonomic characterization at the intra and interspecific level. Among the main records included in the review, most of the conventional methodologies stood out, with 2n=24 being the most common chromosome number in the family, the prevalence of symmetrical karyotype and reticulated interphasic nucleus. Other different less frequent methodologies were observed, such as DNA quantification, the use of banding with fluorochromes and in situ hybridization.