histochemistry, secondary metabolites, chemotaxonomy, vanillin

the metabolomic profile of two species occurring in the Utinga State Park. In article 1, entitled “Comparative leaf anatomy of Amazonian Vanilla species (Orchidaceae)”, we carried out an anatomical structural characterization study for nine Vanilla species occurring in the Brazilian Amazon, through light and scanning electron microscopy analyses. Thus, we identified that among the nine species, V. appendiculata can be identified by the absence of crystals and V. phaeantha can be recognized by the presence of two types of crystals in the leaf blade. We also present a new report for the genus, regarding the composition of the crystals. Therefore, this first article presented relevant taxonomic aspects for the genus, adding information with diagnostic potential for Vanilla in the vegetative state, updating the parameters for future systematic studies. In article 2, a metabolomic study was carried out with leaves of V. labellopapillata and V. pompona occurring in the Utinga State Park, with the aim of contributing to the chemical and metabolic knowledge of the genus, in addition to investigating the possibility of possible taxonomic markers for species identification, integrated with the spatial distribution of these compounds and their possible functions and storage sites. We performed histochemical, chromatographic and infrared analyses, identifying that both species present proteins, phenolic compounds, total polysaccharides, mucilages, tannins, lipids, starch, alkaloids and lignins in the leaf blade. In addition, we observed that the two species present similar molecules in their metabolomic profile. Thus, highlighting the importance of investigating in detail the compounds of these profiles in the search for taxonomic markers for both species. This study can support future ecological, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic studies, as it provides relevant information on the metabolomics of the two species, in addition to presenting unprecedented records for V. labellopapillata.