Baccharis Systematics (Astereae) - Fapesp

Baccharis Systematics (Astereae) 

Gustavo Heiden & José Rubens Pirani 

Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil 

Baccharis macrophylla Dusén

Compositae: 12 subfamilies, more than 40 tribes (Funk et al. 2009, Funk & Bonifacino 2010) 

Subfamily Asteroideae 

Tribe Astereae 

Monophyletic 

(Brouillet et al., 2009; Funk et al., 2005; 

Goertzen et al., 2003; Jansen et al., 1991; Kim 

et al., 1992; Kim & Jansen, 1995; Lane et al., 

1996; Noyes & Rieseberg, 1999; Panero & 

Funk, 2002, 2008; Zhang & Bremer, 1993)

Astereae: 18 subtribes, 222 genera, ~3.100 spp. (Brouillet et al., 2009; Nesom & Robinson, 2006) 

31 genera and ~740 spp. in South America 

Ecaudate and ecalcarate anther bases 

Two distinct marginal stigmatic lines and deltate 

to triangular or lanceolate style appendages, 

glabrous adaxially and with sweeping hairs 

abaxially

Astereae in Brazil: 8 subtribes, 16 genera, ~220 spp. (120 endemic) 

Baccharidinae 

Baccharis 160 spp. 

Machaerantherinae 

Grindelia 7 spp. 

Asteropsis 1 sp. 

Conyzinae 

Apopyros 2 spp. 

Podocominae 

Inulopsis 4 spp. 

A.A.Schneider 

Conyza 12 spp. 

Microgyne 1 sp. 

Hysterionica 3 spp. 

Podocoma 6 spp. 

Leptostelma 4 spp. 

Neja 3 spp. 

Sommerfeltia 1 sp. 

Solidaginae 

Solidago 1 sp. 

Chrysopsidinae 

Noticastrum 8 spp. 

Grangeinae 

Egletes 1 sp. 

Symphyotrichinae 

Symphyotrichum 5 spp. 

www.cnip.org.br

Astereae: Baccharidinae 

Variability in the sexual systems 

Homogamous or heterogamous capitula, not in the same plant 

Archibaccharis Heering 

32 spp. 

Archibaccharis schiedeana (Benth.) J. Jacks 

Monoecious 

Flowers hermaphrodite and unisexual 

Cypselae 2-ribbed, flattened 

www.sbs.utexas.edu 

Baccharis L. 

~400 spp. 

Dioecious 

Flowers unisexual 

Cypselae >5-ribbed, cylindrical 

Baccharis leucocephala Dusén


Southeastern Canada (Nova Scotia) and Western USA (Oregon) to 

Eastern Brazil and Southern Tierra del Fuego in Argentina and Chile 

Baccharis salicifolia (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. 

Baccharis ciliata Gardner 

Several widespread and many narrow endemic species

Baccharis 

>90% of the species occurs in South America 

Two mains centers of diversity: Andes and Southeastern South America 

Mainly in grasslands, savannas and montane vegetation


From the sea level to the summits of mountains above 5000 m... 

Baccharis arenaria Baker Baccharis uncinella DC. 

...the 400 species of Baccharis occur in a great diversity of environments, 

playing an important role in several plant communities 

E. Meireles


B. gracilis DC. 

The wide range of environments inhabited 

reflects in a diverse array of morphological 

features within the genus 

B. riograndensis Teodoro & Vidal 

Herbaceous, subshrubby, shrubby, arboreal and lianescent species 

B. granndimucronata Teodoro 

B. longiattenuata A.S.Oliveira 

Baccharis junciformis DC. 

B. anomala DC.


Useful... 

B. articulata (Lam.) Pers. 

...or weeds 

“caused the death of 18 big bulls” 

Baccharis coridifolia DC. 

Baccharis dracunculifolia DC. 

Baccharis coridifolia DC.


Since Candolle (1836), Baccharis has never been 

revised taxonomically as a whole 

Müller (2010) 

World checklist of Baccharis L. 

(Compositae-Astereae) 

Ir. Teodoro Luis / Malagarriga Heras 

(1977) 

Nomenclator Baccharidinarum 

omnium


Most of the modern taxonomic studies on the genus are geographically limited 

Colombia 

Cuatrecasas 1967, 1969 

Bolivia 

Müller 2006 

Chile 

Heering 1905 

Hellwig 1990 

Venezuela 

Steyermark 1953 

Aristeguieta 1964 

Brazil 

Barroso 1976 

Oliveira et. al. 2006 

Heiden & Schneider 2010, 2011 

Uruguay 

Arechavaleta 1906-1908 

Argentina 

Giuliano & Ariza Espinar 1999 

Giuliano 2000, 2005

Baccharis s.s.: Hellwig (1993, 1996) 


Pingraea Cass. 

Segregation into new, reinstated or recircumscribed smaller genera 

Pingraea anomala (DC.) F.H.Hellw. 

B. magellanica (Lam.) Pers. 

Pingraea articulata (Lam.) F.H.Hellw. 

B. linearis (Ruiz & Pav.) Pers. 

Neomolina F.H.Hellw. 

Stephananthus Lehm. 

Stephananthus junceus Lehm. 

Neomolina racemosa (Hook. & Arn.) F.H.Hellw.

Baccharis: traditional circumscription 

Baccharis (~400 spp.) 

Baccharidastrum (2 spp.) 

? 

Heterothalamus (3 spp.) 

Baccharidiopsis (1 sp.)

Baccharis fide Nesom (1988) 


Baccharis sect. Baccharidastrum (2 spp.) 

? 

Heterothalamus (3 spp.) 

Baccharidiopsis (1 sp.)

Baccharis s.l.: Müller (2006) 


Baccharis subgen. Molina sect. Baccharidastrum (2 spp.) 

Baccharis subgen. Molina sect. Heterothalamus (3 spp.) 

? 

Baccharis subgen. Pteronioides [incl. Baccharidiopsis = B. hirta]

Baccharis s.l.: what support the adoption of a “broad” circumscription? 

Baccharis macrophylla Dusén 

Tufted indumentum 

with adjoining 

basal cells 

Volkens (1890) 

Florets functionally unisexual

Baccharis s.l.: infrageneric relationships? 

? 

Given the great diversity and wide geographic distribution of Baccharis, 

the recognition of smaller and morphologically well-circumscribed 

infrageneric groups is critical to achieve strong advances in taxonomy

Baccharis s.l.: infrageneric taxonomy 

Candolle (1836): 8 sections 

�Followed by Weddel (1855), Baker (1882) and Hoffmann (1890) 

Gray (1886): 4 informal groups � Influenced Heering (1903, 1904a, 1904b): 5 subgenera, several 

sections and subsections 

Cuatrecasas (1967, 1982): circumscription of 24 sections based mainly on Colombian species 

�Influenced Ariza (1973), Nesom (1988, 1990), Giuliano (2001, 2005) and Giuliano & Nesom (2003) 

Barroso (1976): 15 informal groups, similar to the sections of Cuatrecasas 

Müller (2006): 4 subgenera with several informal groups and 3 groups not ascertain to a subgenus 

Giuliano (2011): followed Müller subgenera, described 15 new sections + 3 new combinations to 

section level 

***several sections and groups are monotypic*** 

Search for all infrageneric names published 

Provisional placement into the described subgenera, sections, 

subsections, series and informal groups for further testing of 

monophyly of the proposed groups

Baccharis subgen. Baccharis 

• 14 to 20 sections 

• ~200 species 

• USA (Oregon) and Canada (Nova Scotia) to 

Patagonia 

B. itatiaiae Wawra 

B. uncinella DC. 

B. brevifolia DC. 

�Male floret with style apex bearing 

sweeping hairs of unequal size 

�Female corolla 5-dentate 

�Female pappus multiseriate and 

deciduous 

�Cypselae glabrous 

Müller 2007

Baccharis subgen. Molina Heering 

B. glaziovii Baker 



• Southern USA to Patagonia 

B. wagenitzii (F.H.Hellw.) Joch. Mull. 

B. serrulata (Lam.) Pers. 


sweeping hairs of equal size 

�Female corolla truncate or up to 5-dentate 

�Female pappus uniseriate and not 

acrescent 

�Cypselae glabrous or with twin hairs 

Müller 2007

Baccharis subgen. Pteronioides Heering 



• Southern USA to Patagonia 

Baccharis maxima Baker 

Baccharis gracilis DC. 



�Female pappus multiseriate, acrescent 

and persistent 

�Cypselae large, brownish to dark, with 

uniseriate hairs 

Müller 2006

Baccharis subgen. Stephananthus (Lehm.) Heering 

• 2 sections 

• 4 species 

• Southern Peru to Southern Brazil and Patagonia 

Baccharis arenaria Baker 

Baccharis juncea (Lehm.) Desf. 

�Leaves fleshy 





�Cypselae with twin hairs 

Müller 2006

Baccharis subgen. Tarchonanthoides Heering 



• Bolivia and Southeastern Brazil to Central 

Argentina 

Baccharis curytibensis Heering ex Malme 

Baccharis gibertii Baker 

Baccharis artemisioides Hook. & Arn. 

�Cup-shaped involucre of male capitula 

�Female floret with apically broadened and 

5-dentate corolla 



�Cypselae with twin hairs 

Müller 2006

Baccharidinae and Baccharis phylogenetic relationships 

Zanowiak (1991): cpDNA RFLP markers


Lane et al. (1996): cpDNA RFLP markers


Karaman-Castro & Urbatsch (2009): ITS


Brouillet et al. (2009): ITS 

Two of five subgenera and 1.5% of the 

Baccharis species sampled 

Current knowledge based on a limited 

dataset does not provide enough data 

on the intergeneric relationships of 

genus Baccharis, its monophyly and the 

relationships of its infrageneric groups 

Hence, a comprehensive phylogenetic 

study within the genus is in need to 

refuse or corroborate its alleged 

monophyly 

South American lineages

Prospects 

�Include more outgroups 

�Sample at least one species per infrageneric 

group, preferably the type one 

�Reduce the geographic bias of sampling 

�Search for more informative sequences 

�Consider including morphological data 

The future recognition of smaller monophyletic and morphologically well 

circumscribed groups will make possible the advance of taxonomic knowledge 

on the genus, free of geographic limitations 

Assembling the big picture of the Baccharis phylogeny will provide answers on the 

diversification, the wide morphological diversity and the evolution of sexual 

expression within one of the largest genera of Compositae 

Baccharis pseudovaccinioides Teodoro

Baccharis Systematics (Astereae) - Fapesp

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