Taxonomic studies in the Miconieae (Melastomataceae). VII. Miconia howardiana,a new speices from Hispaniola

Miconia howardiana, which is known only from a diverse moist montane forest in the vicinity of Loma Trocha de Pey (or “Monteada Nueva”), the easternmost peak of the Sierra de Baoruco, is described and illustrated. It is compared to phenetically similar (and probably phylogenetically related) species of theMiconia favosa complex, i.e.,M. favosa, M. xenotricha, M. campanensis M. Sintenisii, M. foveolata, andM. pycnoneura. The species of this complex are characterized by bullate leaves with frequently cordate bases and often six secondary veins. Most species also have large berries and flowers, 5-locular ovaries, large inflorescence bracts and bracteoles, and more or less dendritic multicellular hairs.     

Two new species of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Henriettea</Emphasis> (Melastomataceae,Henrietteeae) for the flora of the Greater Antilles

Two new species of Melastomataceae are described and illustrated: Henriettea sierrae from the mountains of eastern Cuba, and Henriettea multigemma from the Sierra de Bahoruco in the Dominican Republic, Hispaniola. Both species belong to the complex of squamous Henriettea species endemic to the Greater Antilles. Henriettea sierrae is distinguished by its ciliate leaves, foliose bracteoles at the base of the flowers, and lanceolate petals with lateral teeth in their apical third. Henriettea multigemma is distinguished by its fascicles of numerous flowers that are borne of suberose protuberances formed by multiple flower buds in the leafless nodes of the stems, and by the presence of leaves with apical domatia.     

Physalis (Solanaceae) and allied genera: Tzeltalia, a new genus from the highlands of southern Mexico and northwestern Guatemala

A morphological analysis ofPhysalis and several closely related genera, with emphasis on a group of species known as “atypicalPhysalis,” showed that two of the atypical species are better treated as a distinct genus.Tzeltalia is described and two new combinations are made:T. amphitricha andT. calidaria. Restricted to the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, and adjacent Guatemala,Tzeltalia is distinguished fromPhysalis by a combination of characters including shrubby habit; fasciculate flowers; lobed corolla; scabrate pollen; and non-invaginated, partially open, coriaceous, and reticulate-veined fruiting calyx.

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Resumen  El análisis de un grupo de especies atípicas dePhysalis y otros géneros relacionados demostró que dos especies deben considerarse como otro género. Se describeTzeltalia, un género restringido a los altos de Chiapas, México, y Guatemala y se hacen dos nuevas combinaciones,T. amphitricha yT. calidaria.Tzeltalia se distingue dePhysalis por una combinación de caracteres que incluyen un habito arbustivo, flores fasciculadas, corola lobulada, polen escabroso, cáliz del fruto no invaginado, parcialmente abierto, coriáceo y con venación reticulada.

     

Two new species of Huberia (Melastomataceae: Merianieae) from Brazil

Two new Brazilian species of the genusHuberia,H. carvalhoi andH. consimilis, are described, discussed, and illustrated.Huberia carvalhoi is endemic to Bahia;H. consimilis has a wider distribution, with disjunct populations in Pernambuco, Bahia, and Rio de Janeiro. A key is provided to the three Bahia taxa with some comments on the taxonomic affinities of the two new species.     

Phylogenetic analysis of the genus Hordeum using repetitive DNA sequences

A set of six cloned barley (Hordeum vulgare) repetitive DNA sequences was used for the analysis of phylogenetic relationships among 31 species (46 taxa) of the genus Hordeum, using molecular hybridization techniques. in situ hybridization experiments showed dispersed organization of the sequences over all chromosomes of H. vulgare and the wild barley species H. bulbosum, H. marinum and H. murinum. Southern blot hybridization revealed different levels of polymorphism among barley species and the RFLP data were used to generate a phylogenetic tree for the genus Hordeum. Our data are in a good agreement with the classification system which suggests the division of the genus into four major groups, containing the genomes I, X, Y, and H. However, our investigation also supports previous molecular studies of barley species where the unique position of H. bulbosum has been pointed out. In our experiments, H. bulbosum generally had hybridization patterns different from those of H. vulgare, although both carry the I genome. Based on our results we present a hypothesis concerning the possible origin and phylogeny of the polyploid barley species H. secalinum, H. depressum and the H. brachyantherum complex.     

Agave rzedowskiana, a new species in subgenus Littaea (Agavaceae) from western Mexico

Agave rzedowskiana is described and illustrated from the states of Sinaloa and Jalisco, Mexico. This species is a member of subgenusLittaea (Tagliabue) Baker “groupStriatae” of Baker. It is compared withA. petrophila García-Mend. & E. Martínez andA. dasylirioides Jacobi & Bouché.

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Resumen  Se describe e ilustraAgave rzedowskiana de los estados de Sinaloa y Jalisco, México. La especie pertenece al subgéneroLittaea (Tagliabue) Baker “Grupo Striatae” de Baker. Se le compara conA. petrophila García-Mend. & E. Martínez yA. dasylirioides Jacobi & Bouché.

     

Hybanthopsis, a new genus of Violaceae from Eastern Brazil

A new genus of Violaceae is described from Brazil.Hybanthopsis Paula-Souza, with a single species (H. bahiensis Paula-Souza), is endemic to caatingas of Bahia, Brazil, and is morphologically most similar toHybanthus, from which it differs by the fruit morphology and especially its peculiar seeds.

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Um novo gênero brasileiro de Violaceae é descrito.Hybanthopsis Paula-Souza, com uma única espécie (H. bahiensis Paula-Souza), é endêmico de caatingas do Estado da Bahia, e é morfologicamente mais similar aHybanthus, do qual difere pela morfologia do fruto e especialmente por suas sementes peculiares.

     

Two new species of Blechnum (Blechnaceae) from the neotropics

Blechnum moranianum is a new species similar toB. loxense, andB. nigrum is segregated from theB. fragile complex. Both are described and illustrated as result of the author's taxonomic fern work in Costa Rica. Blechnum moranianum es una especie nueva similar aB. loxense, yB. nigrum es segregada del complejoB. fragile. Ambas son aquí descritas e ilustradas como resultado de los trabajos taxonómicos del autor en los helechos de Costa Rica.     

Genome analysis of species in the genus Hystrix (Triticeae; Poaceae)

Genomic in situ hybridisation (GISH) and Southern genomic hybridisation were applied in order to gain further knowledge regarding generic delimitation of the genus Hystrix as well as to clarify the genomes of the Hystrix species H. patula, H. longearistata, H. coreana, H. duthiei and H. komarovii. The hybridisation intensity of different genomic probes was compared among the Hystrix species and with other Triticeae species. The Southern- and GISH results confirm that H. patula contains the StH genome and show that H. komarovii most likely has a variant of this StH genome. The other Hystrix species under study, i.e. H. longearistata, H. coreana and H. duthiei, contain an Ns basic genome, and most probably two variants of this basic genome, Ns ¹ Ns ² . The genus Hystrix is thus not a monophyletic group of species.     

Una nueva especie de Hypenia (Lamiaceae) de México

Hypenia violacea (Lamiaceae), a new species from Guerrero, Mexico, is described and illustrated. This species is characterized by glabrescent, coriaceous leaves, lax thyrsoid inflorescences with pedunculate and umbelliform cymules that have 3–6 violet flowers with corollas 0.8–1.6 cm long. The species is referred to the Southern American genus Hypenia.

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Resumen  Se describe e ilustra Hypenia violacea (Lamiaceae), una especie nueva de Guerrero, México. Presenta hojas coriáceas, glabrescentes, inflorescencia tirsoide, laxa, con címulas umbeliformes, pedunculadas, con 3–6 flores por címula, flores de color violeta, de 0.8–1.6 cm largo. Las características observadas corresponden, en su mayoría, a Hypenia, un género de distribución sudamericana, por lo que se incluye en el mismo.

     

Studies in the Capparaceae XXIII: Capparis coimbrana, a new species from Bolivia

Capparis coimbrana, a tree of the Bolivian and adjoining Brazilian subtropical to warm-temperate seasonal dry forests and savannas, is segregated fromC. petiolaris of the Pacific slope of Ecuador and northern Peru by its subcylindrical fruits (vs. spherical), white pulp (vs. yellow), sepals 3–5 mm (vs.1–3 mm), leaves with 13–24 (vs. 8–15) lateral veins per side, and by 1000 km of geographic isolation. The new species has edible fruits, but is not domesticated. The specific epithet celebrates Germán Coimbra S., eminent Bolivian ethnobotanist.

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Resumen   Capparis coimbrana es un árbol del bosque seco y sabanas subtropicales y cálidas de Bolivia y la parte adyacente de Brasil, segregada deCapparis petiolaris, que se encuentra distribuida en la región del Pacífico de Ecuador y norte de Perú, por sus frutos subcilíndricos (vs. esféricos), pulpa blanca (vs. amarilla), sépalos 3–5 mm (vs. 1–3 mm), hojas con 13–24 (vs. 8–15) pares de venas laterales, y aislada geográficamente 1000 km. Esta nueva especie posee frutos comestibles, pero no está domesticada. Su cpíteto específico honra a Germán Coimbra S., eminente etnobotánico boliviano.

     

Two new species of Aristolochia (Aristolochiaceae) from Brazil and Peru

Aristolochia dalyi, from western Peruvian and Brazilian Amazonia, andA. bahiensis, from Bahia, Brazil, are described and illustrated. The species belong toAristolochia ser.Thyrsicae andA. ser.Hexandrae subser.Anthocaulicae, respectively. A key to the eight western Amazonian species of the seriesThyrsicae is presented.Aristolochia dalyi closely resemblesA. silvatica Barb. Rodr. from the Río Negro basin, andA. bahiensis—the first cauliflorous species ofAristolochia known from the Mata Atlantica—is similar toA. guentheri O. C. Schmidt andA. klugii O. C. Schmidt, from the Western Amazon basin. Characters based primarily on the perianth shape, along with some vegetative features, are used to distinguish the two newly described species from their close relatives.

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Resumen   Aristolochia dalyi, del occidente de la amazonía peruana y brasilera, yA. bahiensis, del estado de Acre, en Brasil, son descritas e ilustradas. Las especies pertenecen aAristolochia ser.Thyrsicae yA. ser.Hexandrae subser.Anthocaulicae respectivamente.Aristolochia dalyi es incluída en una clave para diferenciarla de las especies de la serieThyrsicae presentes en la Amazonía occidental, y resulta ser similar aA. silvatica Barb. Rodr, propia de la cuenca del río Negro; por su parte,A. bahiensis, hasta ahora la única especie deAristolochia cauliflora hallada en la Mata Atlántica, es similar aA. guentheri O. C. Schmidt yA. klugii O. C. Schmidt, propias del occidente de la cuenca amazónica. Los caracteres diagnósticos de las nuevas especies se basan principlalmente en la forma del perianto, aunque algunas diferencias vegetativas son también reconocidas.

     

Two new remarkable Nolinaceae from Central Mexico

Two new species of Nolinaceae are described and illustrated. The first is a ponytail palm,Beaucarnea compacta, occuring in xerophytic scrub in the Sierra Madre Oriental near Atarjea, Guanajuato. The second new species isCalibanus glassianus, adding the second species to the genusCalibanus. This new species is found in the transition between tropical deciduous forest to subontane scrub in the Sierra Madre Oriental near Xichú, Guanajuato.

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Se describen e ilustran dos nuevas especies de Nolinaceae. La primera es una pata de elefante o palma petacona,Beaucarnea compacta. Se distribuye en matorrales xerófitos de la Sierra madre Oriental cerca de Atarjea, Guanajuato. La segunda nueva especie esCalibanus glassianus, que adiciona una especie más al géneroCalibanus. Esta nueva especie se encuentra en la transición de bosques tropicales caducifolios con matorrales xerófilos de la sierra Madre Oriental en los alrededores de Xichú, Guanajuato.

     

A new species of Columnea and range extension in the Gesneriaceae from Costa Rica

Columnea lariensis is described and illustrated as a new species from the Talamanca Mountains, Costa Rica. It is similar to C. canarina from Panama. Alloplectus weirii is here reported for the first time from Mesoamerica and an illustration is provided.

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Resumen   Columnea lariensis de la Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica, es descrita e ilustrada. Es similar a C. canarina de Panamá. Alloplectus weirii se reporta para Mesoamérica por primera vez y se incluye una ilustración de la misma.

     

Himantura lobistoma, a new whipray (Rajiformes: Dasyatidae) from Borneo, with comments on the status of Dasyatis microphthalmus

A new long-snouted whipray, Himantura lobistoma, is described on the basis of seven specimens collected from the southeastern sector of the South China Sea, off western Borneo. It belongs to a subgroup of Himantura species provisionally defined herein as the “uarnacoides” complex that includes five nominal species: H. chaophraya, H. granulata, H. hortlei, H. pastinacoides, and H. uarnacoides. These whiprays all have a similar lateral disc shape (i.e., pectoral-fin apices broadly rounded rather than narrowly rounded or angular), a plain colouration (i.e., usually uniform light to dark brown dorsally, and pale or whitish ventrally with or without a dark margin), a long and slender whiplike tail, and platelike denticles in a broad dorsal band in adults. Himantura lobistoma can be distinguished from the superficially similar H. hortlei by its highly protrusible mouth and pelvic girdle with prominent lateral prepelvic processes. It differs from other members of the “uarnacoides” complex by a combination of internal and external morphological characteristics (e.g., having an extremely elongate snout and very small eyes). Another long-snouted stingray from the region, Dasyatis microphthalmus Chen, inadequately described and known only from the lost holotype, is considered a nomen dubium. It had been assigned to Himantura based on the absence of an obvious ventral cutaneous tailfold but may be conspecific with D. acutirostra.     

Revision and typification of Brazilian Augusta (Rubiaceae, Rondeletieae), with ecological observations on the riverine vegetation of the cerrado and Atlantic forests

A revision of Brazilian Augusta and general comments on the systematics of this genus are presented. The complex taxonomic history of this taxon has caused confusion over its correct nomenclature. The peculiar geographic distribution of Augusta has stimulated field observations and analysis of the ecology of the Brazilian ecosystems where this taxon occurs, which are here presented. The five Brazilian species of Augusta described by Pohl are here treated as ecotypes of A. longifolia. This species has two distinct varieties: var. Longifolia, widespread throughout the Brazilian cerrado, and var. parvifolia, endemic to the Atlantic forest near Rio de Janeiro. Typification, list of representative specimens, and distribution map of A. longifolia are also included.     

Description of a new species and notes on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crossoglossa</Emphasis> (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Malaxideae) from the eastern Andes in Colombia and Venezuela

A new species of Crossoglossa (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Malaxideae), Crossoglossa acuminatissima, from Santander del Sur Department in Colombia, is described and illustrated, and its affinities are discussed. Malaxis tipuloides var. exigua is raised to the rank of species as Crossoglossa exigua, and its report from Venezuela constitutes the first record of the genus Crossoglossa in that country.

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Resumen  Se describe Crossoglossa acuminatissima de Santander del Sur en Colombia y se provee una ilustración y una discusión de sus afinidades. Malaxis tipuloides var. exigua se eleva al rango de especie como Crossoglossa exigua, y su reporte para Venezuela constituye el primer registro del género en ese país.

     

Akrosida floribunda (Malvaceae), a new arborescent mallow from the Dominican Republic

A new species,Akrosida floribunda, is described from the Dominican Republic. This arborescent genus is now known from two species, the other beingAkrosida macrophylla, from Brazil. Both have very limited distributions.

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Resumen  Se describe la especie nuevaAkrosida floribunda de la República Dominicana. Este género arborescente actualmente se conoce de dos especies, la otraAkrosida macrophylla de Brasil. Las dos tienen distribuciones que son bien restringidas.

     

Croton balsensis (Euphorbiaceae), a new species from the Balsas Depression, Mexico

Croton balsensis (Euphorbiaceae), a new species endemic to the Balsas Depression of southern Mexico, is described and illustrated. It occurs in the states of Guerrero, Morelos, and Puebla, growing in tropical deciduous forest at elevations from 450 to 1850m. It is best accommodated inCroton sect.Cascarilla. The Mexican species of this section are often quite similar, butC. balsensis is readily separated from related species by the possession of echinate ovaries and fruits.

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Resumen  Se describe e ilustraCroton balsensis. Es endémica de la cuenca del río Balsas en el sur de México. Crece en los estados de Guerrero, Morelos y Puebla a altitudes de 450 a 1850 m en bosque tropical caducifolio. Pertenece aCroton sect.Cascarilla. Las especies mexicanas de esta sección por lo general son parecidas yC. balsensis se distingue por tener ovarios y frutos equinados.