New genera and species of ericaceae (Vaccinieae) from Costa Rica and Panama

Two new monotypic genera,Didonica andUtleya, are described, withD. pendula from Panama andU. costaricensis from Costa Rica.Disterigma trimera (Panama),D. utleyorum (Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador),Lateropora santafeensis (Panama),Lysiclesia panamensis (Panama),Macleania talamancensis (Costa Rica),Themistoclesia costaricensis (Costa Rica) andT. horquetensis (Panama),Vaccinium costaricense andV. orosiense (both from Costa Rica) and V.jefense (Panama) are all described as new. New combinations are provided for the PanamanianVaccinium floccosum (=Symphysia floccosa) and the West IndianVaccinium racemosum (=Symphysia racemosa). Keys are provided for the Central American species ofDisterigma andThemistoclesia, the species ofLateropora andLysiclesia, and the Costa Rican and Panamanian species ofVaccinium. Six new species are illustrated.     

New species and combinations in Thelypteris subg. Goniopteris (Thelypteridaceae)

Three new species ofThelypteris are described and illustrated:T. littoralis andT. paranaensis, endemic to the rainforest of the southern Brazilian Atlantic coast, andT. multigemmifera, endemic to inland gallery forests of the São Paulo state. In addition, four new combinations are made:T. cutiataensis (Brade) Salino,T. iguapensis (C. Chr.) Salino. A new name is proposed forDryopteris lugubris var.quadrangularis:T. montana Salino. The species treated here belong toThelypteris subg.Goniopteris due to the indument of furcate and stellate trichomes.     

The Aristida pansa complex and a key to the Divaricatae group of North America (Gramineae: Aristideae)

Variation in lateral awn length and pulvini development is described for A. pansa and A. gypsophila. The two species are distinguished by lateral awn development. Within each species, forms are based on pulvini development. Three new forms are described (A. pansa f. contracta; A. gypsophila f. gypsophiloides and f. diffusa), A. dissita is reduced to a form of A. pansa, and A. tehuacanensis is considered synonymous with A. pansa f. dissita. Keys, illustrations, and maps are provided.     

Three new species of Dasylirion (Nolinaceae) from Mexico and a clarification of the D. longissimum complex

Three new species ofDasylirion and a new variety ofD. longissimum Lem. from the mountains of northern Mexico are described and illustrated. Two of the new species are from northwestern Mexico:D. gentryi, with large, rosecolored fruits and glossy, non-waxy leaves; andD. sereke, characterized by roundish fruits with an unusuall large style.Dasylirion miquihuanense is a new species from northeastern Mexico with narrow, strictly upright leaves and widely separated marginal prickles. TheDasylirion longissimum complex consists of two species,D. quadrangulatum S. Wats andD. longissimum Lem., characterized by narrow, quadrangulate leaves with reduced or absents marginal prickles. Distinguishing features of these two species, which have often been confused, are presented andD. longissimum var.treleasei, characterized by small flowers and fruits, is described.     

A new species ofAphidius [Hymenoptera] attacking the pea aphid,Acyrthosiphon pisum

Aphidius staryi Chen & Luhman n. sp. is described. The species was collected and introduced into California from Israel and Turkey byD. González. The new species is morphologically most similar toAphidius smithi, and keys toEady's urticae group.     

Mycopteris,a new neotropical genus of grammitid ferns (Polypodiaceae)

Mycopteris, a new genus of grammitid ferns, is described and combinations are made for the species that belong to it. Mycopteris is diagnosed by castaneous rhizome scales with turgid cells, usually pectinate laminae, blackish petioles and rachises, blackish pinna costae and veins, reddish setae, cretaceous hydathodes, glabrous sporangia, and the presence of Acrospermum ascomes. It is entirely neotropical, ranging from Mexico east into the West Indies and south to Bolivia. Mycopteris is one of two genera of grammitid ferns that are consistently associated with Acrospermum, an epibiotic ascomycete that produces black clavate fruiting bodies. Seventeen species of Mycopteris are recognized here, including one new species (M. longipilosa) and one elevated from the rank of variety to species (M. costaricensis). The following additional combinations are made here: M. alsopteris, M. amphidasyon, M. attenuatissima, M. cretata, M. grata, M. leucolepis, M. leucostica, M. longicaulis, M. pirrensis, M. praeceps, M. semihirsuta, M. steyermarkii, M. subtilis, M. taxifolia, and M. zeledoniana. Lectotypes are chosen for Ctenopteris leucosticta, Polypodium amphidasyon, and Polypodium pectinatum var. hispidum. For each accepted species, full synonymy and geographical range are provided. Taxonomic discussion is provided for species not widely recognized in previous treatments.     

Revision of Plerandra (Araliaceae). I. A synopsis of the genus with an expanded circumscription and a new infrageneric classification

Phylogenetic studies have demonstrated that Schefflera, the largest genus of Araliaceae, is grossly polyphyletic, comprising five distinct clades within the family. In an effort to establish monophyletic genera among the elements that currently comprise Schefflera, the genus Plerandra is expanded to encompass all of the members of one of these clades. In this synoptical revision, a new infrageneric classification is presented (along with a key) in which six subgenera are recognized. Four of these subgenera are newly described (Plerandra subgenera Canacoschefflera, Costatae, Gabriellarum, and Veilloniorum) and a fifth represents a new combination (Plerandra subg. Dizygotheca). A total of 33 species (one with two subspecies) are accepted, one of which is newly described (P. veilloniorum), and 22 new combinations are made (P. actinostigma, P. baillonii, P. cabalionii, P. costata, P. crassipes, P. elegantissima, P. elongata, P. emiliana, P. gabriellae, P. leptophylla, P. nono, P. osyana, P. osyana subsp. toto, P. pachyphylla, P. pancheri, P. plerandroides, P. polydactylis, P. reginae, P. seemanniana, P. tannae, P. vanuatua, P. veitchii). Neotypes are provided for six accepted names and one heterotypic synonym, and lectotypes are designated for 13 accepted names and 16 heterotypic synonyms. For each accepted species, full synonymy is provided along with geographic range and notes.     

Revision of the genus Clibadium (Asteraceae, Heliantheae)

Clibadium L. (Asteraceae, Heliantheae) is a genus of 29 species distributed throughout latin America, from Mexico to Peru, and in the West Indies, with high numbers of species in Costa Rica, Colombia, and Ecuador.Clibadium includes shrubs and small trees; usually with loosely aggregated capitula; herbaceous phyllaries arranged in 1–5 series; receptacles usually paleaceous throughout; corollas of pistillate florets 2–4-lobed; corollas of the staminate florets 4–5-lobed; purple to black anthers; and chromosome numbers alln=16. Two sections of species previously recognized are here considered as subgenera (subg.Paleata and subg.Clibadium) containing two and four sections, respectively.Clibadium subg.Paleata contains five species distributed in sects.Eggersia (3 spp.) andTrixidium (2 spp.), and subg.Clibadium has 24 species distributed among sects.Clibadium (6 spp.),Glomerata (9 spp.),Grandifolia (5 spp.), andOswalda (4 spp.).     

Four new species of genus Cordia (Cordiaceae, Boraginales) from Brazil

We describe four new species of Cordia (Cordiaceae) from Brazil: Cordia fusca, C. glabrifolia, C. restingae, and C. tarodae. These are illustrated, and data on habitat, phenology, and distribution are provided.     

Miscellaneous mistletoe notes, 1–9

Three new species,Cladocolea biflora Kuijt,Struthanthus condensatus Kuijt, andS. lojae Kuijt are described and six new combinations,Cladocolea diversifolia (Benth.) Kuijt,C. lenticellata (Diels) Kuijt,Dendrophthora virgata (Trel.) Kuijt,Korthalsella chilensis (Hook. & Arn.) Kuijt,Phthirusa retroflexa (Ruiz & Pavon) Kuijt, andStruthanthus flexilis (Rusby) Kuijt are proposed. Nomenclature of two more neotropical Loranthaceae,Psittacanthus ramiflorus (DC.) G. Don andStruthanthus interruptus (H.B.K.) Blume is revised.     

New species in Adiantum and Pteris (Pteridaceae) from the Andes

We describe, discuss, and illustrate four new species, one inAdiantum (A. capillatum A. R. Sm. &; Prado, from Ecuador) and three species inPteris (P. lellingeri A. R. Sm. &; Prado, from Bolivia;P. venezuelensis A. R. Sm. &; Prado, from Venezuela; andP. websteri A. R. Sm. &; Prado, from Ecuador, Colombia, and Bolivia).     

Five new species of Heteropterys (Malpighiaceae) from Central and South America

Five-new taxa ofHeteropterys H. B. K. subsect.Aptychia Nied. are described, illustrated, and mapped:H. andina from Peru;H. minutiflora from Costa Rica; andH. bullata, H. capixaba, andH. oberdanii, from the Atlantic coastal forest of Brazil. The affinities and diagnostic characters of each species are discussed.     

A revision of Erythrochiton sensu lato (Cuspariinae,Rutaceae)

In the rutaceous subtribe Cuspariinae, species with relatively large, valvate, colored calyces have been assigned to Erythrochiton, but differences in arrangement of leaves, type of inflorescence, union of petals, of filaments, and of carpels, indument of corolla and testa, appendages of anthers, height of the intrastaminal disc, and exine of the pollen argue for the recognition of three genera. Erythrochiton s. str., characterized by often perennating inflorescences, connate, usually glabrous petals, free carpels, tomentulose seeds, and spinulose exine, consists of seven species of which four are new: E. fallax from the eastern flanks of the Andes from Colombia to Bolivia, E. odontoglossus from western Ecuador and adjacent Peru, E. trichanthus from eastern Peru, and E. gymnanthus from Costa Rica. The assignment to Toxosiphon of four species with woolly, coherent petals, connate carpels, glabrous seeds, and reticulate exine necessitates three new combinations: T. carinatus, T. macropodus, and T. trifoliatus. Recognition of a third unispecific genus with opposite simple leaves, sparsely pubescent, coherent, clawed petals, and spinulose exine requires a new genus name, Desmotes, and a new combination, D. incomparabilis.     

Two new species of Dioscorea (Dioscoreaceae) from Peru

Two new species ofDioscorea,D. gentryi (subgen.Helmia sect.Monadelpha) andD. andromedusae (subgen.Helmia sect.Centrostemon) from Peru, are described and illustrated.     

The anomalous-stemmed species of Heteropterys subsect. Aptychia (Malpighiaceae)

Species of the anomalous-stemmed complex ofHeteropterys are revised after intensive fieldwork in eastern Brazil.Heteropterys patens (=H. anomala) is redefined, and three new species are described (H. admirabilis, H. imperata, andH. nordestina). In addition, this treatment provides brief synonymy, lectotypifications, illustrations, and comments for those four species, and a key to all taxa of the complex.     

Notes on capitate Venezuelan Rhynchospora (Cyperaceae)

Two new combinations, Rhynchospora imeriensis (Kükenthal) W. Thomas and R. planifolia (T. Koyama) W. Thomas, and a new name, R. capillifolia W. Thomas, are provided for capitate species of Rhynchospora occurring in Venezuela. A new section of capitate species with white spikelets, sect. Rigidifolia W. Thomas, is described, and its six included species are listed, discussed, and keyed. Lectotypes are designated for R. duckei R. Gross and R. longibracteata Boeckeler. Two species are illustrated.     

New taxa from the Venezuelan Guayana

Seven new taxa, mainly from the Guayana Highland of Venezuela, are described. These include four new species (Cottendorfia atrorosea, Navia emergens, Navia ovoidea, and Pitcairnia nematophora) and one new variety (Cottendorfia brachyphylla var. angustior) of Bromeliaceae, one new species (Swartzia cowanii) of Leguminosae, and one new species (Marlierea pudica) of Myrtaceae.