Morphogical description of leave gall in the Caryocar brasiliense Camb. (Caryocaraceae): a super-host specie / Descrição morfológica das galhas foliares de Caryocar brasiliense Camb. (Caryocaraceae): uma espécie super hospedeira

Abstract

The galls are characterized by an abnormal growth of tissues in response to galling specific stimuli. In this paper we described six gall morphotypes in Caryocar brasiliense (Caryocaraceae) present in individuals located on the campuses of Araguaina and Palmas, Federal University of Tocantins. All materials were analyzed using stereoscopic microscope and specific bibliography. In Araguaina, it was observed on the adaxial side of the leaflets, green-colored spherical morphotypes with purple apex and green-colored polypoid with brown patches and red apex. Green-colored globoid type galls with brown patches were observed on both surfaces. On the petiole, beige globoid galls were described. The aforementioned morphotypes are closed, hairless, had grouped occurrence and a single larval chamber with only one larvae per locule, except for the globoid leaf gall that presented cream trichomes and the globoid morphotype, located in the branches and in the petiole, which had two chambers. Aside from the polypoid gall, all the others showed full adherence. On the campus of Palmas it was recorded the fusiform morphotypes occurring in the primary and secondary veins, from the abaxial surface, varying its color from cream to red; and the pink-colored discoid located on the tertiary veins, on both surfaces; both showed full adherence, grouped occurrence and white trichomes; internally they display a larval chamber and only one larvae per locule. The morphological diversity of galls on C. brasiliense individuals demonstrates the potential of the species as a super-host in the Cerrado biome.