Blakea graciliflora, a new species of Melastomataceae from the western slopes of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia, is described and illustrated, along with comments on its etymology, distribution, phenology, conservation status, and taxonomic affinities. Blakea graciliflora is a species readily distinguished by its obovate to obovate-elliptic leaf blades with acuminate apices...
The genus Tauschia has long been a source of taxonomic consternation for researchers. The group of species currently included in this genus are distributed primarily across the western United States and Mexico, but a few species occur in Central America and northern South America. Its circumscription is highly problematic, and its species have been moved countless times between...
To expand on prior evolutionary studies conducted on the genus Azorella (Apiaceae), we here present analyses based on more intensive sampling from Australasian representatives of the genus, which had been less thoroughly represented in the prior studies, especially species from section Schizeilema, a group largely native to New Zealand. In this study, 144 specimens representing...
Parablechnum is the most diverse genus in the fern family Blechnaceae, with about 70 species, mainly from Central and South America, the Austropacific, and a few in Africa. Species delimitation in Parablechnum is challenging, and regional studies vary in species recognized. This genus is generally found in humid mid- to high-elevation forests, especially in the Andes. Ecuador is...
Miconia andinodomatia is proposed as a new species in the M. sect. Cremanium, from the mountains of Colombia, where it is widely distributed in the sub-Andean and Andean forests of the Western, Central, and Eastern Cordilleras of Colombia. Miconia andinodomatia is similar to several species, such as M. cremophylla, M. lehmannii, M. theaezans, M. tovarensis and M. turgida. However...
We describe and illustrate Pentagonia plicatifolia A.F.Majín-L. & M.A.Jaram, a new species from the foothills and wet montane forest remnants (at elevations of 300–1,240 m) at Serranía de Las Quinchas, a region located in the Middle Magdalena Valley (the easternmost part of the Chocó Region), in the western slopes of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia (Boyacá department). We...
We describe Calliandra hispidulocarpa (Fabaceae), a new species from the Sierra de Manantlán, southwestern Jalisco, Mexico. Specimens of the new species had been confused with the allopatric C. longipedicellata, a hypothetically closely related species restricted to a contiguous mountain range. The morphological differences between the two species are discussed and their...
Capparis glabrata, a new species belonging to sect. Monostichocalyx, is described from the Kampong Cham and Takeo Provinces of Cambodia. The new species is a shrub characterized by glabrous twigs, straight or slightly recurved stipular thorns, glabrous leaf blade with apex acute or rounded, serial flowers in supra-axillary rows, yellow petals, and ellipsoid, puberulous ovaries...
Contemporary agriculture in many parts of the world consists of annual plant species grown in monoculture, but recently interest has focused on developing perennial, herbaceous species for use in perennial polycultures that offer greater ecosystem services relative to annual monocultures. Because few perennial, herbaceous species were domesticated by early farmers, one of the...
The recent discovery of Psilotum × intermedium in Mexico prompted us to reassess the nomenclature of this genus, which has global implications. From an extensive review of nomenclatural types and herbarium specimens, field collections, and a morpho-anatomical analysis, P. nudum and P. flaccidum are treated as accepted species, while P. × complanatum is treated as an interspecific...
Theobroma (Malvaceae, Byttnerioideae), the cacao genus, has a taxonomic history spanning over two centuries. Currently, it comprises 23 species of trees from lowland forests from the Tropical Americas. Herrania, a closely related genus described later, includes 17 additional species commonly referred to as “wild cacaos.” Phylogenetic relationships and morphological...
Lopezia guerrerensis is described as a new species for the flora of the state of Guerrero, Mexico. It is similar to the species of the Lopezia miniata complex, but is distinguished from them by its habit (subshrubs or shrubs to 3.5 m tall), whorled leaves (three per node) with brochidodromous venation and 12–14 (–17) secondary veins per side, flowers with larger lower petals and...
Dalea verticillata is described and illustrated as a new species from Oaxaca, Mexico. Dalea verticillata is similar to D. filiciformis, but it is distinguished by having whorled leaves (vs. alternate in D. filiciformis), with a greater number of leaflets ((31–)39–63(–69) vs. (11–)13–29(–37)), longer stipules (4.5–8 mm vs. 0.3–1.5 mm), reflexed (vs. ascending), persistent (vs...
Sapranthus (Annonaceae) is a Neotropical genus comprising ten small tree species, most of which inhabit the tropical dry forests of Mexico and Central America. Morphological characteristics of these species are quite variable and taxonomically informative, but the morphological affinities among them have not been studied. A multivariate cluster analysis was carried out to infer...
Crotalaria heteromorpha, a new species from the state of Guerrero, Mexico, is described and illustrated on the basis of vegetative and floral features, and compared to related species. It seems to have a close affinity with C. filifolia. The new species differs from C. filifolia by having variation in the shape of the leaflets, the leaflet margins frequently reddish-brown, with...
Macrolobium paulobocae is presented as a new species of the legume subfamily Detarioideae. It is restricted to seasonally flooded igapó forests in the Central Amazon. We provide a description, illustration, photographs, and a distribution map of the new species, as well as a table of comparative morphology with similar, likely phylogenetically related species. The epithet is in...
An update to the Flora of Antioquia, Colombia, is presented for Selaginella. Herein 46 species are recognized, 12 of which are new records for the department, including two recently described species (S. gioiae and S. rachipterygia), one undescribed species, and a new record for the country (S. meridensis). Five species previously cited as occurring in the department are excluded...
Menthinae, one of the five subtribes of Mentheae (Lamiaceae), with ca. 735 species, is represented in Brazil by a wide range of herbs and shrubs. During an investigation of the taxonomic history of the group for the Flora e Funga do Brasil project, several nomenclatural issues with typifications in the group have been identified. This study attempts to resolve them, making...
Two new species of Goniopteris are described from Ecuador and Peru: G. deltata and G. yanachagae. Both are illustrated and compared with similar species.