Sphaeromeria,a genus closer to Artemisia than to Tanacetum (Asteraceae: Anthemideae)

A new species,Sphaeromeria ruthiae, from Zion National Park, and three new combinations,S. martirensis,S. compacta, andS. potentilloides var.nitrophila, are presented. Morphological and anatomical evidence is used to support the recognition ofSphaeromeria as distinct fromTanacetum.     

New species of Solanum section Geminata (Solanaceae) from South America

Fourteen new species ofSolanum sectionGeminata are described and illustrated. Eight of these,S. erosomarginatum, S. foetens, S. lasiocladum, S. lucens, S. ombrophilum, S. tanysepalum, S. tenuiflagellatum, andS. turgidum are from Venezuela.Solanum cucullatum andS. bellum are from Ecuador,S. abitaguense from Ecuador and northeastern Peru,S. amnicola andS. yanamonense from eastern Peru, andS. mapiricum from eastern Bolivia. Relationships of each of the species to others in its geographical area are discussed. Chromosome numbers are reported for ten of these new species.     

New species and new combinations in the sematophyllum subpinnatum complex (Sematophyllaceae)

Three new tropical American species ofSematophyllum are described with relatively broad leaves and short upper leaf cells:S. cubense, S. cataractae, andS. oedophysidium. The Central AmericaS. apaloblastum andS. barnesii are new combinations.Sematophyllum galipense, S. amnigenum, andS. cochleatum are briefly discussed.     

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.     

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.     

Sucrea (Poaceae: Bambusoideae), a new genus from Brazil

Sucrea, a new genus of herbaceous bambusoid grasses is based on the newly described species,S. monophylla. Also belonging to this genus is another new species,S. maculata, and the taxon originally namedOlyra sampaiana. The new genus is contrasted in a key with others of its tribe Olyreae, and a key is given to its three species.     

Stuessya (Asteraceae: Heliantheae), a new genus from southcentral Mexico

Stuessya, a new genus from the Pacific slopes of southcentral Mexico is described. It is comprised of three species:S. apiculata, previously assigned to the genusViguiera;S. perennans, the generotype; andS. michoacana. The latter two taxa are previously undescribed. The genus is characterized by its urceolate, sclerified (at maturity) involucre. Chromosome counts of2n = 34 are reported forS. perennans. Relationships are problematical, but are reckoned to be somewhere betweenAldama andViguiera.     

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.     

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.     

Four new species of Smilax (Smilacaceae) from southeastern Asia

Described as new areSmilax biumbellata of the affinity ofS. nervomarginata,S. siamensis of the affinity of 5.perfoliata, and two others inSmilax sect.Macranthae:S. inversa andS. pachysandroides.Smilax inversa (characterized by strongly deflexed leaves and inflorescences on zigzag stems) andS. pachysandroides (with subsessile leaves on low simple stems) show no close resemblance to any previously known species of the section.     

New Rubiaceae from the Brazilian Planalto

Three new species from Brazil,Hindsia irwinii, Manettia irwinii, andMitracarpus pusillus, are described. A new section,Brevicalyx, is erected for Hindsia irwinii, and another new section,Irwinianthus, forManettia irwinii.     

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.     

New taxa and combinations in Malvastrum A. Gray (Malvaceae: Malveae)

The genusMalvastrum A. Gray is interpreted to include 22 taxa in 14 species. Seven taxa are here described as new, namely:M. americanum var.stellatum,M. tomentosum subsp.pautense,M. bicuspidatum subsp.campanulatum,M. bicuspidatum subsp.oaxacanum, M. bicuspidatum subsp.tumidum var.tumidum, M. bicuspidatum subsp.tumidum var.glabrum, andM. coromandelianum subsp.fryxellii. In addition, two new combinations are proposed, namely:M. tomentosum andM. coromandelianum subsp.capitato-spicatum.     

Five new species of Solanum section Geminata (Solanaceae) from South America

Five new species of South AmericanSolanum are described:S. morii from French Guiana,S. superbum andS. tumescens from Bolivia,S. platycypellon from southern Bolivia and northern Argentina andS. gertii from southeastern Brazil. An illustration and distribution map for each species is provided and relationships to close relatives are discussed.     

Two new species of Senecio section Palmatinervii (Asteraceae) from northeastern Mexico

Two new species ofSenecio,S. sundbergii andS. neogibsonii, belonging to the sectionPalmatinervii are described, illustrated, and compared to their nearest relatives,S. aschenbornianus andS. lanicaulis.     

New taxa of Leguminosae-Caesalpinioideae from Bahia,Brazil

Brodriguesia santosii, gen. & sp. nov., from the coastal rain forest of Bahia, is described, illustrated and compared with nearly related genera of the tribe Detarieae. In addition, three new species, Arapatiella emarginata (the second species of the genus), Swartzia oblata, S. pinheiroana and one new variety, Goniorrhachis marginata var. bahiana, are presented.     

Taxonomy of Gundlachia (Compositae: Astereae)

Gundlachia, a genus of shrubs occurring in the Caribbean islands, is treated as comprising two species, one of which has six varieties. Five new combinations are made: Gundlachia corymbosa var. apiculata (Britton & S. F. Blake) M. A. Lane, G. corymbosa var. compacta (Urb. & Ekman) M. A. Lane, G. corymbosa var. cubana (Britton & S. F. Blake) M. A. Lane, G. corymbosa var. foliosa (Britton & S. F. Blake) M. A. Lane, and G. corymbosa var. ocoana (Urb. & Ekman) M. A. Lane. Gundlachia is probably most closely related to Gymnosperma.