Luiza Teixeira Costa

Apresentamos aqui alguns aspectos sobre a origem e o papel dos vitrais na arquitetura e seus primeiros empregos no Brasil, tanto no contexto decorativo quanto no de divulgação científica. Discutimos o estudo das plantas úteis no Brasil, sua relação com a história da Botânica e o papel do botânico Frederico Carlos Hoehne no contexto científico e de divulgação. Relacionamos também o emprego de ilustrações científicas ao amplo uso popular de espécies vegetais até o começo do século XX no Brasil, em especial aquelas de interesse ao ramo da medicina. Buscamos discutir tal relação por meio de análise e exposição das ilustrações botânicas presentes no vitral do Museu Botânico Dr. João Barbosa Rodrigues.Ressalta-se que, embora as imagens do vitral analisado não apresentem os detalhes e particularidades de cada planta, necessários para identificação de algumas das espécies, seu papel na relação entre arte e saúde se cumpre como objeto de divulgação do conhecimento científico no contexto do M...

Micro-CT scanning has become an established tool in investigating plant structure and function. Its non-destructive nature, combined with the possibility of three-dimensional visualization and virtual sectioning, has allowed novel and increasingly detailed analysis of complex plant organs. Interactions among plants, including between parasitic plants and their hosts, can also be explored. However, sample preparation before scanning becomes crucial due to the interaction between these plants, which often differ in tissue organization and composition. Furthermore, the broad diversity of parasitic flowering plants, ranging from highly reduced vegetative bodies to trees, herbs, and shrubs, must be considered during the sampling, treatment, and preparation of parasite-host material. Here two different approaches are described for introducing contrast solutions into the parasite and/or host plants, focusing on analyzing the haustorium. This organ promotes connection and communication between the two plants. Following a simple approach, details of haustorium tissue organization can be explored three-dimensionally, as shown here for euphytoid, vine, and mistletoe parasitic species. Selecting specific contrasting agents and application approaches also allow detailed observation of endoparasite spread within the host body and detection of direct vessel-to-vessel connection between parasite and host, as shown here for an obligate root parasite. Thus, the protocol discussed here can be applied to the broad diversity of parasitic flowering plants to advance the understanding of their development, structure, and functioning.

All organisms engage in parasitic relations, as either parasites or hosts. Some species may even play both roles simultaneously. Among flowering plants, parasitism is characterized by the development of an intrusive organ called a haustorium, which absorbs water and nutrients from host plants. Despite this functionally unifying feature, haustoria are not homologous structures, as parasitic plants have evolved at least 12 times independently. These plants represent ca. 1% of all extant flowering species and show a wide diversity of life histories. A great variety of plants may also serve as hosts, including other parasitic plants. This phenomenon of parasitic exploitation of another parasite, broadly known as hyper- or epi- parasitism, is well described among bacteria, fungi, and animals, but remains poorly understood among plants. Here, we review empirical evidence of plant hyperparasitism, including variations of self-parasitism, and discuss the diversity and ecological importance ...

This video is a graphical abstract of the paper: "A living bridge between two enemies: haustorium structure and evolution across parasitic flowering plants", published in the Brazilian Journal of Botany, volume 44, pages165–178 (2021). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40415-021-00704-0<br>The video is also part of a blog post to Botany One, a website administered by the Annals of Botany journal.

O estudo discute as ações de divulgação científica iniciadas no Instituto Butantan por seu primeiro Diretor, Vital Brazil Mineiro de Campanha, tendo como principal foco a prática de permuta de cobras por soros antiofídicos. Mostramos como a divulgação das atividades científicas da instituição funcionou como uma forma eficiente de atrair a população e torná-la aliada do empreendimento científico de Vital Brazil. Tratando especialmente da prática de permuta de serpentes por soros, por ele desenvolvida, apresentamos a ideia de que esse mecanismo funcionou dentro dos paradigmas do que hoje denominamos “ciência cidadã”, incorporando a população à prática científica como uma forma de potencializar e ampliar essa mesma atividade. Além disso, discutimos como esta ideia pioneira contribuiu para a ampliação do reconhecimento científico de Vital Brazil e do Instituto que dirigia, favorecendo a ampliação de suas atividades e reconhecimento nacional.

Background and objectives Balanophoraceae is one of the most bizarre and biologically interesting plant clades. It groups species with peculiar features that offers an opportunity for investigating several aspects of parasite plant development and morphogenesis. We analyzed the development and the mature vegetative body of Lathrophytum. peckoltii Eichler, focusing on the formation of the host-parasite interface. Additionally, we analyzed how this parasitic interaction causes modifications to the anatomy of Paullinia uloptera Radlk and Serjania clematidifolia Cambess host roots. Methods Vegetative bodies of parasite at different developmental stages were collected while infesting the roots of Sapindaceae vines. Non-parasitized host roots were also collected for comparison. Light, epifluorescence, confocal, and scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze. Key results The vegetative axis’ initial cells divide repeatedly, originating a parenchymatous matrix, which occupies the spa...

All organisms engage in parasitic relations, as either parasites or hosts. Some species may even play both roles simultaneously. Among flowering plants, the most widespread form of parasitism is characterized by the development of an intrusive organ called the haustorium, which absorbs water and nutrients from the host. Despite this functionally unifying feature of parasitic plants, haustoria are not homologous structures; they have evolved 12 times independently. These plants represent ca. 1% of all extant flowering species and show a wide diversity of life histories. A great variety of plants may also serve as hosts, including other parasitic plants. This phenomenon of parasitic exploitation of another parasite, broadly known as hyper- or epiparasitism, is well described among bacteria, fungi, and animals, but remains poorly understood among plants. Here, we review empirical evidence of plant hyperparasitism, including variations of self-parasitism, discuss the diversity and ecolo...

Endoparasitic plants are the most reduced flowering plants, spending most of their lives as a network of filaments within the tissues of their hosts. Despite their extraordinary life form, we know little about their biology. Research into a few species has revealed unexpected insights, such as the total loss of plastome, the reduction of the vegetative phase to a proembryonic stage, and elevated information exchange between host and parasite. To consolidate our understanding, we review life history, anatomy, and molecular genetics across the four independent lineages of endoparasitic plants. We highlight convergence across these clades and a striking trans-kingdom convergence in life history among endoparasitic plants and disparate lineages of fungi at the molecular and physiological levels. We hypothesize that parasitism of woody plants preselected for the endoparasitic life history, providing parasites a stable host environment and the necessary hydraulics to enable floral gigantism and/or high reproductive output. Finally, we propose a broader view of endoparasitic plants that connects research across disciplines, for example pollen-pistil and graft incompatibility interactions and plant associations with various fungi. We shine a light on endoparasitic plants and their hosts as under-explored ecological microcosms ripe for identifying unexpected biological processes, interactions and evolutionary convergence.

Parasitic flowering plants are characterized by the development of an organ known as haustorium, which has evolved in multiple independent angiosperms clades. The haustorium has also been deemed “the most plastic of organs” due to its ability to accommodate physiological and anatomical differences between the parasite itself and its host plants. This is achieved through the development of vascular connections, which involve the differentiation of various specialized cell types by the parasite. The development, structure, and evolution of the haustorium and the connections it fosters are reviewed here considering all 12 parasitic plant lineages. A multi-level comparison between “model” parasitic plants, such as Orobanchaceae and Cuscuta species, with members of often neglected groups, such as Lennoaceae, Mitrastemonaceae, and Santalales yields the idea of a shared general body plan of the mature haustorium. This proposed haustorium bauplan is composed of an upper part, including structures associated with mechanical attachment to the host body, and a lower part, including all parasitic tissues and cell types within the host body. The analysis of multi-level convergence is also applied here to the comparison between haustoria and other plant organs. Considering the structure, molecular development, and functionality of this organ under the framework of continuum and process plant morphology, I propose the interpretation of haustoria as morphological misfits.

The study discusses the actions of scientific dissemination initiated at Instituto Butantan by its first director, Vital Brazil Mineiro de Campanha, focusing mainly on the practice of exchanging snake specimens by antivenin serum. We present how the dissemination of the institution's scientific activities functioned as an effective way to attract the public and turn it into an ally on the scientific enterprise carried out by Vital Brazil. Considering especially the practice created by Vital Brazil of exchanging snakes by serum, we aim to show how this mechanism worked within the framework of what we now call "citizen science", incorporating the population to scientific practice as a way to enhance and extend such activity. Furthermore, we discuss how this pioneering idea has contributed to the expansion of scientific recognition of Vital Brazil and the Institute he ran, favouring the further development of its activities and national acknowledgement.

A forma de vida parasitária em plantas está associada à formação de um órgão que pode ser genericamente denominado haustório, responsável pela conexão entre parasita e hospedeira. A grande diversidade de espécies parasitas - cerca de 1% das angiospermas viventes - somada à diversidade de potenciais hospedeiras, resulta numa multiplicidade de estruturas, tecidos e tipos celulares peculiares dessas interações. Entretanto, é frequente a observação de que toda esta variedade morfoanatômica seja abordada com o uso de poucos termos comuns e, até mesmo, com sinônimos, mas também com uso ambíguo e em estruturas de homologia dúbia ou não comprovada ontogeneticamente. O uso de publicações originalmente em outras línguas que o português (i.e. inglês, principalmente; espanhol; francês; italiano; alemão), com traduções literais, falsos cognatos e outras influências da linguística também promoveram confusões. De modo a promover uma utilização mais clara e precisa, além de realizar um resgate hist...

Parasitic plants are capable of causing a variety of effects to their hosts, including alterations in the process of wood formation. However, the majority of studies dealing with parasitic plant anatomy have focused on the host–parasite interface and the direct action of the haustorium, which is the organ responsible for attaching the parasite to the host. Considering this gap, we studied the anatomical and functional effects caused by a mistletoe species, Phoradendron crassifolium (Santalaceae), on the wood anatomy of the host tree Tapirira guianensis (Anacardiaceae). Both parasitized and non-parasitized branches were collected from host trees. Traditional wood anatomy procedures were employed, along with functionality experiments using the ascent of safranin solution through the xylem. Prior to the analysis, all sampled branches were divided in “upstream” and “downstream” portions, considering the direction of xylem sap flow inside the plant body. This design was chosen in order t...

Parasitic plants are capable of causing a variety of effects to their hosts, including alterations in the process of wood formation. However, the majority of studies dealing with parasitic plant anatomy have focused on the host–parasite interface and the direct action of the haustorium, which is the organ responsible for attaching the parasite to the host. Considering this gap, we studied the anatomical and functional effects caused by a mistletoe species, Phoradendron crassifolium (Santalaceae), on the wood anatomy of the host tree Tapirira guianensis (Anacardiaceae). Both parasitized and non-parasitized branches were collected from host trees. Traditional wood anatomy procedures were employed, along with functionality experiments using the ascent of safranin solution through the xylem. Prior to the analysis, all sampled branches were divided in “upstream” and “downstream” portions, considering the direction of xylem sap flow inside the plant body. This design was chosen in order t...