New species of Habracanthus (Acanthaceae) from Ecuador

Four new Ecuadorian species ofHabracanthus,H. asplundii from Pichincha,H. laxus andH. lugonis from Tungurahua, andH. luteynii from Napo, are described, illustrated, and compared with their closest relatives.     

New species of Mendoncia (Acanthaceae) from Colombia

Two new Colombia species ofMendoncia,M. zarucchii from Vaupés andM. antioquiensis from Antioquia, are described, illustrated, and compared with their closest relatives. A revised key to the Colombian species closely following Leonard is provided.     

Two new species of Dyschoriste (Acanthaceae) from Somalia

The new species Dyschoriste bayensis, from a granitic inselberg in southern Somalia, and D. miskatensis, from open bushland on limestone in north-eastern Somalia, are described and illustrated.     

Two new species of Mendoncia (Acanthaceae) from Bahia, Brazil

Two new species, Mendoncia bahiensis and Mendoncia blanchetiana, of the subgenus Bremekampia are described and illustrated. A key to four species represented in Bahia and commentary on their taxonomic affinities are provided.     

New species, new variety and new combinations in Stenandrium (Acanthaceae) from Ecuador and Colombia

A new species and a new variety are described: Stenandrium harlingii from prov. Morona-Santiago and S. harlingii var. angustifolia from Morona-Santiago. The new taxa are described, illustrated, and compared with their closest relatives. Four new Colombian combinations are also made: Stenandrium andrei, S. arnoldii, S. fosbergii and S. nephoica .     

Two new species and new records for Pteris (Pteridaceae) from Colombia

A systematic review of the Colombian species of the tribe Pterideae (Pteridaceae) resulted in the discovery of two new species ofPteris:P. muricatopedata andP. albertiae, both in the Deflexa group. Two species are reported for the first time from Colombia:P. bakeri C. Chr. andP. lechleri Mett.     

Two new species of Aa (Orchidaceae,Spiranthoideae) from Colombia

Two new species of the Andean genus Aa (Orchidaceae, Spiranthoideae) are described: Aa lozanoi Szlach. and S. Nowak, and Aa figueroi Szlach. and S. Nowak. They are restricted in distribution mainly to Cordillera Oriental in the department of Cundinamarca, however, A. lozanoi was also collected in Cordillera Central and A. figueroi in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, in northern part of Colombia. Each species is described and illustrated, detailed habitat and distribution data are provided. A distribution map of the new species is presented. A dichotomous key for determination of the Colombian species of Aa is provided. Brief discussion about the most important threats for plants in Andes is presented.     

Two new species of Palmae from Colombia

Chamaedorea macroloba Galeano andPrestoea simplicifolia Galeano, known only from Colombia, are described and illustrated.     

Two new species in Justicia sect. Harnieria (Acanthaceae) from tropical Africa

Two new species of Justicia sect. Harnieria (Acanthaceae) are described: J. afromontana from Sudan and Uganda, and J. huambensis from Angola.     

A new species of Ruellia (Acanthaceae) from Paraguay

A new species,Ruellia woolstonii C. Ezcurra from eastern Paraguay, is described, illustrated, and compared to related species.

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Resumen  Una nueva especie,Ruellia woolstonii C. Ezcurra de Paraguay oriental, se describe, ilustra, y compara con especies relacionadas.

     

Two new species of Justicia sect. Ansellia (Acanthaceae) from E and NE tropical Africa

The new species Justicia ornatopila from Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, and J. lorata from Kenya are described and illustrated. Information on pollen morphology is also provided     

A new species of Isoglossa (Acanthaceae) from NE tropical Africa

The first species of Isoglossa known from Somalia, I. congesta is described om material from central Somalia and SE Ethiopia. It is related to I. parvifolia Rendle, occurring in E Ethiopia, but differs in the contracted inflorescences and long calyx lobes with long glandular hairs.     

A new species ofJusticia sect.Ansellia (Acanthaceae) from Tanzania

Justicia brevipedunculata, a new species ofJ. sect.Ansellia endemic to Tanzania, is described and illustrated. Detailed palynological information is given, and relationships to other species of the section are discussed.     

Three new species of Acanthaceae from Ethiopia

Summary  Three new species of Acanthaceae, Lepidagathis pseudoaristata Ensermu, Acanthopale aethio-germanica Ensermu, and Rhinacanthus mucronatus Ensermu, are described from Ethiopia. The three species are illustrated and their distributions mapped. The three new species are also compared to their presumed closest relatives. L. pseudoaristata is restricted to the Bale and Sidamo Regions, A. aethio-germanica is more widely distributed in Ethiopia occurring in the Kefa, Arsi, Sidamo and Bale Regions, and R. mucronatus is a local endemic restricted to the Borana area in the Sidamo Region. The conservation status of each species is also assessed.     

Three new species of Justicia sect. Justicia (Acanthaceae) from tropical Africa

Three new species of Justicia sect. Justicia (Acanthaceae) are described: Justicia regis from Kenya, Justicia acutifolia from Tanzania, and Justicia telloensis from Cameroun.     

A new name and a new species in MexicanRuellia (Acanthaceae)

Based on pollen and floral morphology,Blechum grandiflorum is transferred toRuellia, and the nameR. mirandana is proposed for this species. A new species,Ruellia tuxtlensis, is described which is distinguishable fromR. mirandana by its longer spike and elliptic bracts. It is presently known only from the lowlands of Veracruz, Mexico.     

A new species of Hapalorchis (Spiranthinae,Orchidaceae) from Colombia

Hapalorchis bicornis, a new species from Colombia, is described, illustrated and placed within the key for the determination of Colombian Hapalorchis species. The information about the distribution and ecology of the new species as well as brief taxonomic notes are provided.