Caracterização e avaliação de descritores morfológicos em acessos de Psychotria ipecacuanha (Brotero) Stokes, Rubiaceae.

Abstract

The specie Psychotria ipecacuanha (Brotero) Stokes, Rubiaceae, popularly known as ipeca, ipecacuanha or poaia, is threatened by genetic erosion and endangered. The aim of this study was evaiuate accessions of the Active Geraiplasm Bank of Psychotria ipecacuanha, and identiíy morphological descriptors for the specie. Were evaluated 17 Psychotria ipecacuanha accessions, in vivo, through 19 morphological characters, using the aerial parts of the plant. The selection of descriptors was performed by principal component anaiysis. Psychotria ipecacuanha accessions have morphological variations. Through multivariate anaiysis of dissimilarity, it could highlight the accesses 602x819 as the most dissimilar and 836x837 as the least dissimilar. Was identified the relative contribution of characters used in this study, those most contributed were "Plant height" and "First branch height", with approximate percentages of 44% and 35% respectively. Characters that have contributed least were "Petiole length" with 0.08% and "Leaf base" with 1.86%. This study characterized and evaluated the morphological variability of Psychotria ipecacuanha accesses, identified and grouped the descriptors with lower and higher contribution. This information is unprecedented for the species and will serve as a basis for the selection of subjects of interest to genetic breeding programs, as well as provide key information that will facilitate the identification of specimens in planted or native ecosystems.