Manihot pachycaulis sp. nov. (Euphorbiaceae) from the Brazilian Cerrado

A new species of Manihot was discovered in the course of revising the taxonomy of some species of the genus occurring in the Midwest Region of Brazil. Its morphology resembles species which belong to different sections of the genus. However, a set of characters related to stem, leaves, inflorescences and flowers serves to differentiate it from the closest species, especially from M. falcata, to which it is most similar. The geographical distribution and conservation status of the new species as well as its flowering and fruiting period are also provided. Additionally, anatomical information about the aerial parts of the stem, a novelty regarding the wild species of the genus, is provided.     

Mouriri morleyii sp. nov. (Melastomataceae) from Brazil,with notes on its foliar stomatal crypts

Mouriri morleyii R. Goldenb. & Meirelles sp. nov. can be distinguished from the other species in the genus by its large stomatal crypts (the largest ones in the genus), columnar sclereids, tetramerous flowers and calyx closed in bud. This new species was collected on an inselberg in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil.     

Microstachys crassifolia sp. nov. (Euphorbiaceae) from Chapada dos Veadeiros,Goiás,Brazil

Microstachys crassifolia, a new species from Chapada dos Veadeiros region in the State of Goias, central Brazil, is here described and illustrated. Its habit and general morphology resembles that of M. nana Silva & Esser, an endemic species from the State of Paraná, southern Brazil. Both species are hemicryptophytes from grasslands, with a well‐developed underground system, glabrous leaves and reddish inflorescences and fruits, but M. crassifolia has fleshy leaves without glands while M. nana has membranaceous leaves with pateliform, submarginal glands.     

Comparative leaf anatomy of wild Manihot Mill. species (Euphorbiaceae) from Chapada Diamantina,Bahia, Brazil

The leaf anatomy of nine species of Manihot Mill. has been studied with the objective of finding anatomical features that contribute to our understanding of the taxonomy of the genus. Leaf samples were collected in the field and from herbarium specimens, and standardized methods were used for both light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The following species were studied: M. bellidifolia P. Carvalho & M. Martins, M. brachyandra Pax & K. Hoffm., M. caerulescens Pohl, M. diamantinensis Allem, M. elongata sp. nov. ined., M. jacobinensis Müll. Arg. (I), M. jacobinensis Müll. Arg. (II), M. longiracemosa P. Carvalho & M. Martins, M. maracasensis Ule, M. reniformis Pohl, M. tripartita (Spreng) Müll. Arg. and Manihot sp. Anatomically, the analysis revealed differences that indicate the importance of leaf anatomy in the species‐level taxonomy. Presence of fibers in the bundle sheath, and presence or absence of papillae and fibers in the midrib are diagnostic characters. Although these characteristics were not enough to separate all of the species, or to group them into a section, they did show taxonomic importance at the species level. In addition, morphoanatomical differences and geographical distribution support Manihot sp. as a distinct species.     

Phyllanthus brunelii sp.nov. (Euphorbiaceae) from Thailand

Phyllanthus brunelii Roux, a new shrubby species from Thailand is described. P. brunelii has apparently until now been confused with P. reticulatus Poir. Its pollen structure suggests affinities between the subgenera Kirganelia (A. Juss.) Webster and Gomphidium (Baill.) Webster.     

Aulacoseira calypsi sp. nov. (Coscinodiscophyceae) from an Amazonian lake,northern Brazil

This paper describes a new diatom species, Aulacoseira calypsi Tremarin, Torgan & Ludwig, from specimens in plankton samples from Água Preta lake. This Amazonian lake is a shallow mesotrophic environment situated in northern Brazil. The species is characterized by long filaments united by spatulate linking spines, obovate to conic separation spines, a valve surface variably ornamented, straight striae on the mantle, a narrow ringleist, and one row of sessile rimoportulae near the ringleist. Aulacoseira calypsi's morphometric features are compared with the following similar species: Aulacoseira nygaardii (Camburn) Camburn & Charles, Aulacoseira lacustris (Grunow) Krammer, Aulacoseira coroniformis Pearce & Cremer, Aulacoseira occulta Siver & Hamilton, Aulacoseira lancea Siver & Hamilton, Aulacoseira gessneri (Hustedt) Simonsen, and Aulacoseira islandica (Müller) Simonsen. The species shares similarities as to frustule size, striation pattern, and narrowness of ringleist; but differs in the morphology of separation and linking spines, and the number and position of the rimoportulae.     

Manihot gratiosa and M. lourdesii spp. nov. (Manihoteae,Euphorbiaceae) from the Brazilian Cerrado

During a botanic expedition in 2013 to study the taxonomy of the genus Manihot in the Cerrado biome, numerous specimens were collected in the Chapada dos Veadeiros region, in central Brazil. After careful analyses, two new species of this genus were discovered. Manihot gratiosa and M. lourdesii are herein described and illustrated. Both species can be distinguished from morphologically similar species by a combination of characters such as shape and overlapping of leaf lobes, indumentum, type and aspect of inflorescence, integrity of pistillate sepals, as well as shape, integrity, and size of bracts of both male and female flowers.     

Discocarpus pedicellatus, a new species of Phyllanthaceae (Euphorbiaceae s.l.) from southern Bahia, Brazil

Discocarpus pedicellatus, a new species from semideciduous forests of southern Bahia, is here described and illustrated. Pistillate flowers with pedicels 8–10 mm long and styles usually connate into a column 2.5–3 mm long are diagnostic for this species.     

Euphorbia gokakensis sp. nov. (Euphorbiaceae) from sandstone formations in Karnataka,India

Euphorbia gokakensis, a new succulent species of Euphorbiaceae, is described from the Belgaum district of Karnataka, India. The new species belongs to Euphorbia subgen. Euphorbia, and closely resembles Euphorbia caducifolia Haines. However, it is distinguished by its characteristic dwarf habit forming a compact cushion that hardly exceeds 50 cm in height.     

Maytenus eritreana sp. nov. and M. addat (Loes.) comb. nov. (Celastraceae) from northern Ethiopia

The new species Maytenus eritreana Sebsebe is described from northern Ethiopia. The new combination M. addat (Loes.) Sebsebe is made; this species occurs in the central and southern highlands of Ethiopia. The distribution of the two species is mapped.     

Euphorbia venkatarajui sp. nov. (Euphorbiaceae) from Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh,India

Euphorbia venkatarajui, a new succulent species of Euphorbiaceae, is described from Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh state, India. The new species belongs to the subgenus Euphorbia, and it closely resembles Euphorbia gokakensis S.R. Yadav, Malpure and Chandore and E. caducifolia Haines., but differs in certain distinct characters.     

Christensonella ecallosa sp. nov. (Orchidaceae,Maxillariinae) from Guyana and Brazil

A new species of Christensonella (Orchidaceae, Maxillariinae) is described and illustrated based on herbarium material. The most important characters of Christensonella ecallosa Lipińska & Szlach. are the ovate lip, with transversely elliptic middle lobe, minutely dentate margins and very obscure lip callus, which forms an elevated thick pad near the base. Taking into account the habit, it may be misidentified as C. uncata, but they are clearly distinguished by the lip shape. The taxonomic affiliations of the new species are briefly discussed.     

Plukenetia huayllabambana sp. nov. (Euphorbiaceae) from the upper Amazon of Peru

A new species of Plukenetia from the Peruvian Department of Amazonas is described. Plukenetia huayllabambana R. W. Bussmann, C. Téllez & A. Glenn sp. nov. seems to be endemic to rocky patches in the cloud forest region of Mendoza. The species is similar to Plukenetia volubilis L., a species widely known from the Caribbean and Latin America, and Plukenetia stipellata L. J. Gillespie, which is only known from Central America. Both of these species occur only up to about 1200  m a.s.l., while Plukenetia huayllabambana has only been found above 1300  m a.s.l. The new species distinctly differs in its small number of stamens, stylar column length, and very large fruits and seeds. In Peru, Plukenetia spp. are widely known as 'Sacha Inchi' (forest Peanut), and Plukenetia huayllabambana could have a good potential to become an income source for the local communities.     

Anoectochilus nandanensis sp. nov. (Orchidaceae) from northern Guangxi,China

Anoectochilus nandanensis, a new species from northern Guangxi, China, is described and illustrated. It is similar to A. emeiensis K. Y. Lang in habit, but distinguished by the size of the plant, leaves and lateral sepals, as well as the flanges of the mesochile.     

Maranta rugosa sp. nov. (Marantaceae) from central Brazil

Maranta is a neotropical genus usually found in moist and shaded habitats in pluvial to semideciduous forests and Cerrado, with diversity center in central Brazil. A new species from Mato Grosso, M. rugosa J. M. A. Braga & S. Vieira, is described and illustrated. The new species is somewhat similar to M. parvifolia Petersen with which it is compared.     

Aristolochia zebrina sp. nov. (Aristolochiaceae) from southeastern Brazil

Aristolochia zebrina is described, illustrated and discussed in comparison with the two most similar species, A. papillaris Mast. and A. tamnifolia (Klotzsch) Duch. The new species is distinguished from its relatives mainly by the ellipsoid utricle, the narrowly ovate, revolute, and efimbriate floral limb with dark purple longitudinal stripes inside, and the glabrous and smooth capsules, which are broadly cylindrical. So far, the new species has only been found in ‘restingas’ (sandy soils) and wet tropical Tabuleiro forests in northern Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil.     

Tortulomyces thailandicus gen. et sp. nov. and Nitschkia siamensis sp. nov. (Coronophorales,Ascomycota) from northern Thailand

Two new species collected in northern Thailand are herein described and discussed. Tortulomyces thailandicus is the type of a new genus characterized by a combination of such features as a dense subiculum, non-ostiolate ascomata, two kinds of paraphyses (filiform and bead-like), and 1-septate, brown ascospores. Nitschkia siamensis has non-ostiolate, turbinate and stalked ascomata and hyaline, often slightly curved, 1-septate ascospores.