Ecogeography of Lippia rotundifolia Cham. in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

Lippia rotundifolia is a specie native to the Brazilian Cerrado, endemic to the Cadeia do Espinhaço mountain range. Due to the limited information about the species, the present study aimed to characterize the ecogeography, climate conditions and physical and chemical characteristics of the soil of Lippia rotundifolia in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Thirteen sites were ecogeographically characterized: Parque Estadual Veredas do Peruaçu; Gigante; Rio do Peixe; AEP of Olhos D’água; Joaquim Felício; Parque Estadual do Rio Preto; São Gonçalo do Rio das Pedras; Rio Tigre; RPPN Brumas do Espinhaço; Lapinha; Poço Bonito; Abóboras; and Parque Estadual de Serra Nova. Environments belonged to Cerrado and Caatinga biomes, specifically in rocky and altitude fields. The species occurs at altitudes between 691-1311m, with precipitation between 700 to 1600mm and average temperature between 14.5 to 24°C. In these vegetation types, the soils were sandy, hyper dystrophic and highly toxic with a low cation exchange capacity. These characteristics make the species undemanding with regard to edaphoclimatic and ecogeographic factors.