The bush dog Speothos venaticus is a highly social Neotropical canid categorized globally on the IUCN Red List as Near Threatened, as Vulnerable in Brazil and as Critically Endangered in Minas Gerais, south-eastern Brazil, and the Atlantic Forest as a result of human pressure. As part of the monitoring of this mammal, during January 2019–March 2020 we placed one camera trap in each of 22 forest fragments in various landscapes in 15 municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais and one municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro. On average, each camera trap was active for 4.3 months in each fragment. In a total of 2,856 trap-days we obtained the first record of S. venaticus in south-eastern Minas Gerais, c. 2 km from Serra de Santa Rita Mítzi Brandão Biological Reserve. This is the northernmost record of S. venaticus in the Atlantic Forest and highlights the importance of forest remnants in a fragmented landscape for this species. Further monitoring of this area should be a priority, to increase knowledge regarding the distribution of this species and for developing conservation strategies appropriate to these fragmented landscapes.

Magnetite-rich waste from a niobium mine near Araxá, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, was heated to 500°C and 1000°C under an O2 atmosphere. The original waste and its oxidized products were characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), room-temperature 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and temperature-programmed reduction (TPR).

Semiquantitative analyses by EDS and quantitative chemical analyses showed the waste to be constituted primarily of Fe with minor amounts of Ti, Ba, Al, Si, Nb, Mn, S and P. Mössbauer and XRD showed the waste to consist predominantly of magnetite and hematite. The magnetite content decreases when the temperature increases due to its direct conversion to hematite. However, at 500°C only 10 wt.% of original magnetite was converted to hematite, confirming the high stability of this magnetite, which could still be detected at 1000°C. The TG profile shows no significant weight gain on heating, indicating a high stability of the magnetite. The TPR profiles show that the hematite in the waste is sintered after treatment at 1000°C and the reduction peaks are consequently shifted to higher temperatures. This high thermal stability is attributed to a moderate isomorphous replacement of Fe by other cations present in the Nb mining waste.

Native palladium is rare and occurs in oxidizing environments (hematite stability field) and consistently has very low contents of other metals. On the other hand, gold may contain significant amounts of alloyed palladium. A nugget of palladian gold, obtained from a specularite-rich auriferous vein (‘jacutinga’) of the Gongo Soco iron ore mine, Quadrilátero Ferrífero, Minas Gerais, allows the definition of a paragenetic sequence of native palladium formation. The cm-sized nugget is brecciated and consists of fragments of palladian gold [Au0.79Pd0.09Cu0.07Ag0.04Hg0.01] with inclusions of isomertieite [Pd11Sb2As2], cemented by kaolinite-hematite-palladian gold infill. The isomertieite inclusions are preferentially fractured and display various degrees of alteration to a Pd-O phase. Native palladium occurs as a crystallized component within the Pd-O phase, with microstructural and chemical features suggesting a desiccation process. It is proposed that native palladium forms by (1) oxidation of a pre-existent palladium mineral to a Pd-O phase, and (2) subsequent crystallization of native palladium from the Pd-O phase, by oxygen loss and dehydration. This process operates in a low-temperature hydrothermal or weathering environment and leads to strong fractionation of palladium and gold.

Carlosbarbosaite, ideally (UO2)2Nb2O6(OH)2·2H2O, is a new mineral which occurs as a late cavity filling in albite in the Jaguaraçu pegmatite, Jaguaraçu municipality, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The name honours Carlos do Prado Barbosa (1917–2003). Carlosbarbosaite forms long flattened lath-like crystals with a very simple orthorhombic morphology. The crystals are elongated along [001] and flattened on (100); they are up to 120 μm long and 2–5 μm thick. The colour is cream to pale yellow, the streak yellowish white and the lustre vitreous. The mineral is transparent (as individual crystals) to translucent (massive). It is not fluorescent under either long-wave or short-wave ultraviolet radiation. Carlosbarbosaite is biaxial(+) with α = 1.760(5), β = 1.775(5), γ = 1.795(5), 2Vmeas. = 70(1)º, 2Vcalc. = 83º. The orientation is X || a, Y || b, Z || c. Pleochroism is weak, in yellowish green shades, which are most intense in the Z direction. Two samples were analysed. For sample 1, the composition is: UO3 54.52, CaO 2.07, Ce2O3 0.33, Nd2O3 0.49, Nb2O5 14.11, Ta2O5 15.25, TiO2 2.20, SiO2 2.14, Fe2O3 1.08, Al2O3 0.73, H2O (calc.) 11.49, total 104.41 wt.%; the empirical formula is (□0.68Ca0.28Nd0.02Ce0.02)Σ=1.00[U1.44□0.56O2.88(H2O)1.12](Nb0.80Ta0.52Si0.27Ti0.21Al0.11Fe0.10)Σ=2.01 O4.72(OH)3.20(H2O)2.08. For sample 2, the composition is: UO3 41.83, CaO 2.10, Ce2O3 0.31, Nd2O3 1.12, Nb2 O5 14.64, Ta2O5 16.34, TiO2 0.95, SiO2 3.55, Fe2O3 0.89, Al2O3 0.71, H2O (calc.) 14.99, total 97.43 wt.%; the empirical formula is (□0.67Ca0.27Nd0.05Ce0.01)Σ=1.00[U1.04□0.96O2.08(H2O)1.92] (Nb0.79Ta0.53Si0.42Ti0.08Al0.10Fe0.08)Σ=2.00O4.00(OH)3.96(H2O)2.04. The ideal endmember formula is (UO2)2Nb2O6(OH)2·2H2O. Calculated densities are 4.713 g cm-3 (sample 1) and 4.172 g cm-3 (sample 2). Infrared spectra show that both (OH) and H2O are present. The strongest eight X-ray powder-diffraction lines [listed as d in Å (I)(hkl)] are: 8.405(8)(110), 7.081(10)(200), 4.201(9)(220), 3.333(6)(202), 3.053(8)(022), 2.931(7)(420), 2.803(6)(222) and 2.589(5)(040,402). The crystal structure was solved using single-crystal X-ray diffraction (R = 0.037) which gave the following data: orthorhombic, Cmcm, a = 14.150(6), b = 10.395(4), c = 7.529(3) Å, V = 1107(1) Å3, Z = 4. The crystal structure contains a single U site with an appreciable deficiency in electron scattering, which is populated by U atoms and vacancies. The U site is surrounded by seven O atoms in a pentagonal bipyramidal arrangement. The Nb site is coordinated by four O atoms and two OH groups in an octahedral arrangement. The half-occupied tunnel Ca site is coordinated by four O atoms and four H2O groups. Octahedrally coordinated Nb polyhedra share edges and corners to form Nb2O6(OH)2 double chains, and edge-sharing pentagonal bipyramidal U polyhedra form UO5 chains. The Nb2O6(OH)2 and UO5 chains share edges to form an open U—Nb—φ framework with tunnels along [001] that contain Ca(H2O)4 clusters. Carlosbarbosaite is closely related to a family of synthetic U–Nb–ϕ framework tunnel structures, it differs in that is has an (OH)-bearing framework and Ca(H2O)4 tunnel occupant. The structure of carlosbarbosaite resembles that of holfertite.

Hematite is a mineral the chemical composition of which rarely differs significantly from stoichiometric Fe2O3. As such, little attention has been paid to the mineral chemistry of hematite in Precambrian iron formations, where hematite forms monomineralic high-grade orebodies. Electron microprobe analysis of hematite from two iron-ore deposits, Cauê (Itabira district) and Gongo Soco, in the Palaeoproterozoic Itabira Iron Formation, Quadrilátero Ferrífero of Minas Gerais, Brazil, has revealed distinct variations in chemical composition with respect to Ti and Cr. Hematite containing Ti and/or Cr is of very local occurrence in the itabirite unit and shows a spatial relationship to hematitic, palladiferous gold-bearing veins (known as ‘jacutinga’), occurring either within the veins (adjacent to, or included in, palladiferous gold grains) or in their vicinity. Where present, titaniferous hematite (to ∼1.3 wt.% TiO2) is lepidoblastic and defines a pervasive tectonic foliation (S1). In contrast, Ti-free, chromiferous hematite (to ∼6.4 wt.% Cr2O3) characteristically occurs as inclusions in palladiferous gold within S1-truncating ‘jacutinga’. Replacement of granoblastic, Ti-free, chromiferous martite with relicts of magnetite by lepidoblastic, Cr-depleted, titaniferous hematite proves that Cr and Ti were mobile during metamorphism. Chromium was ultimately fractionated into the hematite found in auriferous aggregates within cross-cutting ‘jacutinga’. A positive correlation between Cr and Pt in bulk-rock samples from the Itabira district suggests that Cr is a potential prospective guide for Au-Pd-Pt-bearing hematitic veins (‘jacutinga’).

Fine-grained garnet (grains <50 μm across) is an accessory component of compact hematite, a rock consisting essentially of hematite; compact hematite is a variety of high-grade Fe ore. The garnet is characterized compositionally as spessartine (81–86 mol.%) with subordinate, but significant, amounts of calderite (5–11 mol.%) and “blythite” (up to ∼5 mol.%), as well as andradite (4–7 mol.%); pyrope and almandine endmembers are ≤∼2 and 1 mol.%, respectively. The recognition of spessartine in compact hematite indicates that oxidation state, rather than whole-rock chemical composition, controlled the garnet composition. The spessartine has a positive Eu anomaly, and a low Th/U ratio (0.13–0.65) compared to the average upper continental crust, Th/U = 3.9, as well as a positive linear correlation of U vs. Li. The spessartine-hosting compact-hematite rock is a high-grade hematite ore that similarly shows a low Th/U ratio, but a convex, tetrad-like segment between Gd and Dy. Decoupling of Eu from other rare-earth elements and of U from Th in the spessartine, together with the anomalous geochemical behaviour of Gd, Tb and Dy in the compact hematite, and its low Th/U ratio, could have been achieved under oxidizing conditions at greenschist-facies metamorphic temperatures. The U and Li present in the spessartine could have been sourced from metamorphic fluids of continental, possibly evaporitic, origin. These interpretations are underpinned by the regional hematitization and tourmalinization observed in the southern Serra do Espinhaço.

Titanomaghemite occurs in a relatively fresh doleritic intrusion in an area of Precambrian gneiss in Minas Gerais, Brazil. It hosts exsolution lamellae of ilmenite and contains more than 90% of the iron in the ferric form. It is more resistant to weathering than the ilmenite and is inherited virtually unaltered by the resulting soils. Titanomaghemite, extracted as grains from a weathered rind of the rock, has lattice parameter a0 = 0.8348(3) nm and has a canted spin structure due to substitution of non-magnetic ions on tetrahedral and octahedral sites of the spinel structure. The average canting angle is 32 ± 3° and canting occurs predominantly on the octahedral iron sublattice. Its formula, based on microprobe analysis and Mössbauer spectroscopy may be expressed as:

where [] and {} denote ions on tetrahedral and octahedral sites, respectively. The spontaneous magnetization of the mineral is 36(3) J/T/kg.

The composition, structure, X-ray powder diffraction pattern, optical properties, density, infrared, Raman and Mössbauer spectra, and thermal properties of a homogeneous sample of metavivianite from the Boa Vista pegmatite, near Galiléia, Minas Gerais, Brazil are reported for the first time. Metavivianite is biaxial (+) with α = 1.600(3), β = 1.640(3), γ = 1.685(3) and 2Vmeas = 85(5)°. The measured and calculated densities are Dmeas = 2.56(2) and Dcalc = 2.579 g cm–3. The chemical composition, based on electronmicroprobe analyses, Mössbauer spectroscopy (to determine the Fe2+:Fe3+ ratio) and gas chromatography (to determine H2O) is MgO 0.70, MnO 0.92, FeO 17.98, Fe2O3 26.60, P2O5 28.62, H2O 26.5; total 101.32 wt.%. The empirical formula is (Fe3+1.64Fe2+1.23Mg0.085Mn0.06)Σ3.015(PO4)1.98(OH)1.72·6.36H2O. Metavivianite is triclinic, P, a = 7.989(1), b = 9.321(2), c = 4.629(1) Å, α = 97.34(1), β = 95.96(1), γ = 108.59(2)°, V = 320.18(11) Å3 and Z = 1. The crystal structure was solved using a single-crystal techniques to an agreement index R = 6.0%. The dominant cations in the independent sites are Fe2+ and Fe3+, with multiplicities of 1 and 2, respectively. The simplified crystal-chemical formula for metavivianite is Fe2+ (Fe3+, Fe2+)2(PO4)2(OH,H2O)2·6H2O; the endmember formula is Fe2+Fe3+2(PO4)2(OH)2·6H2O, which is dimorphous with ferrostrunzite.

Fluorcalciomicrolite, (Ca, Na, ☐)2Ta2O6F, is a new microlite-group, pyrochlore supergroup mineral approved by the CNMNC (IMA 2012-036). It occurs as an accessory mineral in the Volta Grande pegmatite, Nazareno, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Associated minerals include: microcline, albite, quartz, muscovite, spodumene, “lepidolite”, cassiterite, tantalite-(Mn), monazite-(Ce), fluorite, “apatite”, beryl, “garnet” , epidote, magnetite, gahnite, zircon, “tourmaline” , bityite, hydrokenomicrolite, and other microlite-group minerals under study. Fluorcalciomicrolite occurs as euhedral, untwinned, octahedral crystals 0.1–1.5 mm in size, occasionally modified by rhombododecahedral faces. The crystals are colourless and translucent; the streak is white, and the lustre is adamantine to resinous. It does not fluoresce under ultraviolet light. Mohs' hardness is 4½–5, tenacity is brittle. Cleavage is not observed; fracture is conchoidal. The calculated density is 6.160 g/cm3. The mineral is isotropic, ncalc. = 1.992. The Raman spectrum is dominated by bands of B–X octahedral bond stretching and X–B–X bending modes. The chemical composition (n = 6) is (by wavelength dispersive spectroscopy, H2O calculated to obtain charge balance, wt.%): Na2O 4.68, CaO 11.24, MnO 0.01, SrO 0.04, BaO 0.02, SnO20.63, UO20.02, Nb2O53.47, Ta2O576.02, F 2.80, H2O 0.48, O=F–1.18, total 98.23. The empirical formula, based on 2 cations at the B site, is (Ca1.07Na0.81☐0.12)Σ2.00(Ta1.84Nb0.14Sn0.02)Σ2.00[O5.93(OH)0.07]6.00[F0.79(OH)0.21]. The strongest eight X-ray powder-diffraction lines [d in Å (I)(hkl)] are: 5.997(59)(111), 3.138(83)(311), 3.005(100)(222), 2.602(29)(400), 2.004(23)(511), 1.841(23)(440), 1.589(25)(533), and 1.504(24)(444). The crystal structure refinement (R1 = 0.0132) gave the following data: cubic, Fdm, a = 10.4191(6) Å, V = 1131.07(11) Å3, Z = 8.

The bush dog Speothos venaticus, a rare Near Threatened South American canid that lives in packs, was thought to be extinct in Minas Gerais state, south-eastern Brazil, until recently. Here, we report four recent records of the species in Minas Gerais, the first in the state since the description of the species in 1842. All records are from the Cerrado ecosystem in the north and north-west of the state; two are from animals found dead, one from footprints and another from a camera trap. Three of the records were inside or close (< 10 km) to strict protected areas, in a region recognized as the Protected Areas Mosaic Sertão Veredas–Peruaçu, where we expect any new records of the bush dog to be found. We discuss the low probability of detecting the bush dog and the main regional threats to the species, and emphasize the need to protect large and interconnected natural areas and keep them free of domestic dogs to avoid the extinction of the bush dog in Minas Gerais.

Introduction. The mangaba is an exotic fruit from the Brazilian Cerrado that presents high antioxidant activity and may benefit human health. Its antioxidant activity may be associated with the presence of bioactive compounds such as carotenoids and antioxidant vitamins. The physical and chemical characteristics, nutritional value, carotenoids and antioxidant vitamins were evaluated in mangaba from the Cerrado of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Materials and methods. Titratable acidity was determined by volumetric neutralization, pH by potentiometry, soluble solids by refractometry, moisture by gravimetry after oven drying, ash by calcination in a muffle furnace, proteins by the micro-Kjeldhal method, dietary fibers by the gravimetric non-enzymatic method and lipids by gravimetry after extraction in ethyl ether. Vitamin C (ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids) and carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and lycopene) were analyzed by HPLC-DAD. Vitamin E (α-, β-, γ- and δ-tocopherols and tocotrienols) and folates (tetrahydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate) were analyzed by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Results and discussion. Mangaba showed a high pulp yield (80.08%), moisture (83.0 mg×100 g–1) and dietary fiber content (2.3 g×100 g–1). Mangaba presented β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol; α-, β- and γ-tocotrienols; tetrahydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate, and it can be considered an excellent source of vitamin C (165.8 mg×100 g–1) and folates (98.3 μg×100 g–1). Carotenoid and vitamin E contents were 0.12 mg×100 g–1 and 2,732.5 μg×100 g–1, respectively. Conclusion. Mangaba presented a high pulp yield, and several carotenoids and antioxidant vitamins, and can be considered an excellent source of vitamin C and folates.

Introduction. The Brazilian Savannah has one of the richestbiodiversities in the world and contains native fruits presenting high nutritional value.These fruits are the basis for sustaining wildlife and also serve as a food source for thepopulation. Among these, the ‘araçá of Cerrado’ (Psidium firmum O. Berg),a fruit found naturally in the Brazilian Savannah, stands out. Therefore, we evaluated thephysical characteristics, chemical composition, and occurrence and content of vitamin C,carotenoids, vitamin E and folates in ‘araçá of Cerrado’ from the Savannah of MinasGerais, Brazil. Materials and methods. Titratable acidity was determined byvolumetric neutralization, pH by potentiometry, soluble solids by refractometry, moistureusing an oven, ash using a muffle furnace, protein by the micro-Kjeldhal method, totaldietary fiber by the gravimetric non-enzymatic method, and lipids with a Soxhletextractor. Vitamin C (ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids) and carotenoids (α-carotene,β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and lycopene) were analyzed by HPLC-DAD. Vitamin E (α, β, γand δ-tocopherols and α, β, γ and δ-tocotrienols) and folates (tetrahydrofolate,5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate) were analyzed by HPLC withfluorescence detection. Results and discussion. The araçá presented a highpulp yield (81.43%), soluble solids (11.93 °Brix), moisture (77.46%), dietary fiber(12.32 g·100 g–1) and folates (47.25 mg·100 g–1). It presented a low total energy value of43.19 kcal·100 g–1, and low contents of carotenoids (0.32 mg·100 g–1) and vitamin E(336.43 mg·100 g–1). Vitamin C was not found in the fruit. Conclusion. ‘araçáof Cerrado’ fruit stands out due to its high yield and showed good nutritional value,being classified as an excellent source of dietary fiber and at least a source of folates.Thus, its consumption should be encouraged.

Abstract – Introduction. The Cerrado is a Brazilian biome that has a largeplant heterogeneity. Among the fruit species of the Cerrado, the tamarind stands out dueto its economic potential and use in human feeding. Our study evaluated the physical andphysicochemical characteristics, and occurrence and content of vitamin C, carotenoids,vitamin E and folates in tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.) from the Cerradoof Minas Gerais, Brazil. Materials and methods. The length, diameter, massand fruit yield of tamarind were evaluated. Titratable acidity was determined byvolumetric neutralization, pH by potentiometry, soluble solids by refractometry, moistureusing an oven, ash using a muffle furnace, protein by the micro-Kjeldhal method, totaldietary fiber by the gravimetric non-enzymatic method, and lipids with a Soxhletextractor. Vitamin C and carotenoids were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, and vitamin E and folatesby HPLC with fluorescence detection. Results and discussion. Tamarind pulp iscomposed mainly of carbohydrates (50.07 g·100 g–1) and moisture (35.29 g·100 g–1); it canbe considered a good source of dietary fiber (4.13 g·100 g–1). The pH, titratable acidityand soluble solids are 2.95, 18.52 g tartaric acid·100 g–1 and 44.00 °Brix, respectively.Contents of vitamin C (4.79 mg·100 g–1) and folates (59.35 µg·100 g–1) in the tamarind arehigher than those observed in traditional fruits. However, the fruit presents low vitaminE content (108.78 µg·100 g–1). Conclusion. The tamarind stands out due to itsnutritional value, being a good source of vitamin C and dietary fiber, and an excellentsource of folates.

Introduction. The BrazilianCerrado presents a wide vegetable diversity, which is used for differentpurposes, especially in human feeding. Among the various fruitsof the Cerrado, the araticum (Annona crassiflora Mart.)stands out, due to its high nutritional value and technologicalpotential. The physical characteristics, chemical composition (titratableacidity, pH, moisture, ash, total dietary fiber, lipids and proteins),occurrence and content of vitamin C (ascorbic and dehydroascorbic acids),carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin and lycopene),vitamin E (α-, β-, γ- and δ-tocopherols and tocotrienols) and folates(tetrahydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate)were evaluated in araticum from the Cerrado of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Materials and methods. Vitamin C and carotenoids wereanalyzed by HPLC-DAD, and vitamin E and folates by HPLC with fluorescencedetection. Results and discussion. Araticum pulp presenteda high energy value (95.12 kcal·100 g–1), as well aselevated contents of dietary fiber (6.80 g·100 g–1), carotenoids (4.98 mg·100 g–1) and vitamin A value (288.79 RAE·100 g–1).The contents of vitamin C, folates and vitamin E were 5.23 mg·100 g–1, 27.36 μg·100 g–1 and 494.04 μg·100 g–1, respectively. Conclusion. Araticum presented high energy value andhigh dietary fiber content. It is a source of vitamin C and folates, andan excellent source of vitamin A.

Introduction. The fruits ofthe Brazilian Savannah have potential to improve the human diet,income generation and, consequently, the quality of life for sociallyvulnerable families. Among the native fruits of the Savannah, onethat stands out is the ‘jatobá do cerrado’ (Hymenaea stigonocarpa).Therefore, the physical characteristics, chemical composition (titratableacidity, soluble solids, pH, moisture, ash, proteins, lipids andtotal dietary fiber), occurrence and content of vitamin C (ascorbicand dehydroascorbic acids), carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthinand lycopene), vitamin E (α, β, γ and δ-tocopherols and tocotrienols)and folates (tetrahydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate)were evaluated in pulp of ‘jatobá do cerrado’ from the BrazilianSavannah. Materials and methods. The length, diameter,mass and fruit yield were evaluated. The titratable acidity wasdetermined by volumetric neutralization; pH by potentiometry; solublesolids by refractometry; moisture using an oven; ash using a muffle furnace;proteins by the micro-Kjeldhal method; total dietary fiber by thegravimetric non-enzymatic method; and lipids with a Soxhlet extractor.Vitamin C and carotenoids were analyzed by HPLC-DAD, and vitamin Eand folates by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Results anddiscussion. The jatobá do cerrado’ presented low pulp yield (17.1%)and moisture (8.8 g×100 g–1), and high contents of total dietaryfiber (44.3 g×100 g–1), protein (5.6 mg×100 g–1) and energy (193.0 kcal×100 g–1).The fruit presented reduced contents of carotenoids and vitamin C [(0.4and 8.9) mg×100 g–1, respectively]. The contents of vitamin E andfolates [(53.5 and 495.5) μg×100 g–1, respectively] were higherthan in other widely consumed fruits. Conclusion. The‘jatobá do cerrado’ is a source of vitamin C, good source of folates, andexcellent source of dietary fiber. Due to its nutritional value,‘jatobá do cerrado’ is an important dietary alternative; thus, its consumptionshould be encouraged.

Introduction. The Brazilian Savannah presents a wide vegetable diversitythat produces fruit that have unique characteristics and should be better characterizedand exploited. The agricultural-economic exploration of the fruits from the Savannahcontributes to income generation and may play an important role in improving humannutrition. The aim of our research was to evaluate the physical characteristics (diameter,height and mass), chemical composition (moisture, ash, proteins, lipids, dietary fiber,titratable acidity, soluble solids and pH), occurrence and content of vitamin C (ascorbicacid and dehydroascorbic acid), carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin andlycopene), vitamin E (α-, β-, γ- and δ-tocopherols and tocotrienols) and folates(tetrahydrofolate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and 5-formyltetrahydrofolate) in pequi fromthe Savannah of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Materials and methods. Analyses ofcarotenoids and vitamin C were carried out by HPLC-DAD, and vitamin E and folates by HPLCwith fluorescence detection. Results. The pulp of cooked pequi presented highcontents of dietary fiber (9.9 g·100 g–1), lipids (33 g·100 g–1), carotenoids (8.11 mg·100g–1), vitamin C (14.33 mg·100 g–1), vitamin A (514.38 RAE·100 g–1) and total energy(317.19 kcal·100 g–1). Contents of folates and vitamin E were 5.1 μg·100 g–1 and 110.52μg·100 g–1, respectively. Conclusion. The pulp of cooked pequi presents ahigh energy value, as well as elevated contents of dietary fiber and lipids. It is a goodsource of vitamin C and an excellent source of vitamin A. The nutritional value and thewide availability of pequi make it an important tool for the reduction of food andnutritional insecurity.

Croton josephinus Müll.Arg., a member of Croton sect. Medea (Klotzsch) Baill. (Euphorbiaceae), has not been recollected since 1824, nor mentioned in the literature since its original publication in 1873. This species has recently been rediscovered in a campo rupestre area at the ‘Pico 1430 m’ of the Serra de São José, Minas Gerais, after 20 years of field work in the area. In the protologue Croton josephinus was cited as having been collected from São Paulo State. This is likely to have been a simple misattribution of the area where it occurs. Based on the new material collected, a detailed description and an illustration of the species are provided. A lectotype and an isolectotype are designated.