Xiphion heracleanum sp. nov. (Iridaceae) from Morocco

As a part of the revision of Xiphion (Iris subg. Xiphion) for the ‘Flora Iberica’ project, some material collected in the 19th and 20th centuries in the Tangiers area (northern Morocco) was found impossible to assign to any of the known taxa in the genus. In part, they resembled X. junceum and X. rutherfordii, but showed a peculiar combination of vegetative and floral characters which to date is exclusive. Accordingly, the new species X. heracleanum Mart. Rodr. & M. B. Crespo is described for these plants, and evidence is reported to justify the adopted treatment. Relationships to other taxa in the genus are also discussed, and the new combination X. rutherfordii (Mart. Rodr., P. Vargas, M. Carine & Jury) Mart. Rodr. & M. B. Crespo comb. nov. is provided.     

Koellensteinia dasilvae sp. nov. (Zygopetalinae–Orchidaceae) from the Brazilian Amazon

A new species of Koellensteinia from the Brazilian Amazon is described and illustrated. Koellensteinia dasilvae C. F. Hall & F. Barros (Orchidaceae) grows as epiphyte or saxicolous, close to streams in upland forests (terra firme) of the state of Amapá, northern Brazil. The new species resembles K. hyacinthoides, sharing morphological affinities with this species, but differs by growing inside forests, smaller plant size, smaller leaves and petiole, larger inflorescence with large peduncle and small rachis, labellum, when spread, broader between the lateral lobes than at the mid‐lobe, margin of labellum minutely erose, and by short wings of the column.     

Solanum knappiae sp. nov. (Solanaceae) from the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil

While preparing a taxonomic survey of the species of Solanum in the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil, a new species, here described as Solanum knappiae Agra & Sampaio, was recognized based on its distinctive morphology. It is a member of Solanum sect. Geminata and is most similar to S. bahianum, from which it differs by its geographic distribution and by having glabrous young stems and leaves, smaller corollas and stamens, cuspidate calyx lobes, and pedicels with a constriction at the distal end that becomes swollen in the fruit. The new species is described and illustrated here, and comments on its distribution and conservation status are included.     

Evolvulus flavus sp. nov. (Convolvulaceae) from the Brazilian Caatinga

Evolvulus flavus is a new species of Convolvulaceae found in the semiarid region of Paraíba State, Brazil. It is characterized by flowers with a yellow corolla and 4‐locular ovary. Illustrations and taxonomic notes are presented. Only four individuals of this new species have been located, resulting in its classification as ‘Endangered’ (EN) in accordance with the IUCN criteria.     

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.     

Asplundia altiscandens sp. nov. (Cyclanthaceae) from the Brazilian Amazon

A new species, Asplundia altiscandens E. S. Leal from the Brazilian Amazon, is described and illustrated. It belongs to subgenus Asplundia and is related to A. ferruginea and A. nonoensis. Diagnostic characters, a distribution map and taxonomic comments are provided.     

Pothos vietnamensis sp. nov. (Araceae–Pothoideae–Potheae) from Vietnam

Pothos vietnamensis V. D. Nguyen & P. C. Boyce is described and illustrated from northern Vietnam as a new species of the Pothos supergroup, and it is compared with the two most similar species: P. kerrii and P. pilulifer to which P. vietnamensis is comparable by having a very small fertile portion (< 5 mm diameter) on the spadix. Ecology, habitat, population size and conservation status are also discussed.     

Ligularia dalaolingensis sp. nov. (Asteraceae–Senecioneae) from central China

Ligularia dalaolingensis, a new species from Hubei and Hunan, China, is described and illustrated. It belongs to L. sect. Ligularia ser. Speciosae on the basis of its palmate leaf venation, racemose synflorescence and pappus which is slightly shorter than the tube of the tubular corolla. In the series, its closest relatives are assumed to be L. fischeri and L. stenocephala. From L. fischeri, L. dalaolingensis is readily distinguished by smaller basal leaves, shorter synflorescence, narrower involucres and fewer phyllaries and florets; from L. stenocephala, L. dalaolingensis differs by smaller basal leaves, shorter synflorescence as well as broader bracts. A diagnostic key to Chinese species of L. ser. Speciosae with broadly ovate, ovate or ovate‐lanceolate bracts is provided.     

Retracted: Bauhinia saksuwaniae sp. nov. (Leguminosae–Caesalpinioideae) from Thailand

The following article from the Nordic Journal of Botany , ‘Bauhinia saksuwaniae sp. nov. (Leguminosae‐Caesalpinioideae) from Thailand.’ by Sawai Mattapha, Pranom Chantaranothai and Somran Suddee, published online on 11 December 2013 in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com ), has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal Editor in Chief, Torbjörn Tyler and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The retraction has been agreed due to the publication of a species under the name B. nakhonpranomensis, prior to the publication of this article.     

Aechmea xinguana sp. nov. (Bromeliaceae) from the Xingu region in the Brazilian Amazonia

Aechmea xinguana, a new species of Bromeliaceae from the Brazilian Amazonia, is described and illustrated. It is related to Aechmea mertensii, but differs by inflorescences with larger and more lax panicles, and by floral bracts that are red, larger than the flowers, with a linear shape and spinose margins.     

Baccharis paucicostata sp. nov. (subgen. Baccharis; Compositae–Astereae) from Argentina

Baccharis paucicostata Joch. Müll. & Giuliano from the Andes of Argentina is here described as a new species and illustrated. Characters for delimitation from similar species and known data on distribution and habitat are provided.     

Dendrocalamus menglongensis sp. nov. (Poaceae–Bambusoideae) from Yunnan,China

A new species Dendrocalamus menglongensis Hsueh & K. L. Wang ex N. H. Xia, R. S. Lin &Y. B. Guo is described and illustrated from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China. It differs from D. giganteus by e.g. shorter internodes, 4–5 florets, a perfect terminal floret and persistent culm sheaths. A key to the new species and the other 7 species of Dendrocalamus known from Xishuangbanna is provided.     

The delimitation of Gelasine (Iridaceae), and G. uruguaiensis sp. nov. from Uruguay

The generic concept of Gelasine Herb. (Iridaceae) is reviewed, and the characters discussed in connection with Sphenostigma Bak., a synonym of Gelasine. The reduction of Sphenostigma is further justified on account of overlapping features. A new species from Uruguay, G. uruguaiensis Rav. sp. nov., is described and illustrated. This is shown to include two subspecies: ssp. uruguaiensis , and ssp. orientalis ssp. nov. The chromosome number of the latter is 2n = 14.     

Cordiera longicaudata sp. nov. and Duroia valesca sp. nov. of the Alibertia group (Gardenieae–Rubiaceae)

Two neotropical species of the Alibertia group (Gardenieae–Rubiaceae) are described and illustrated. Cordiera longicaudata C. Persson & Delprete sp. nov. occurs in Panama and northwestern Ecuador (Awá Reserve) and is characterized by its long drip tips and glabrous to minutely puberulent corollas. Duroia valesca C. Persson & Delprete sp. nov. is from the Atlantic forest of Brazil (states of Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais) and is distinguished by its heteromorphic calyx lobes that are large, 13–15×7–8 mm, elliptic and contorted in female flowers, whereas the calyx lobes of the male flowers are 3–5×1–2 mm and narrowly triangular.     

Saussurea pseudograminea sp. nov. (Asteraceae) from the Qinghai–Tibetan plateau,China

Morphological characteristics, as well as ultrastructure of pollen grains, chromosome numbers and karyotype analysis have been used to establish a new species of Saussurea from the Qinghai–Tibetan plateau. The new species, Saussurea pseudograminea Y. F. Wang, G. Z. Du et Y. S. Lian is easily distinguished from the similar S. graminea Dunn by having 2–3 capitula, involucre 0.7–1.2 cm in diameter, smaller pollen grains, pollen surface with larger and denser spines, achenes 4.0–5.5 mm long, 32 chromosomes, and a karyotype formula 2n = 2x = 32 = 18m + 10sm + 4st, whereas S. graminea has solitary capitula, involucre 1.2–2.0 cm in diameter, larger pollen grains, pollen surface with smaller and sparser spines, achenes 3–4 mm long, 28 chromosomes and a karyotype formula 2n = 2x = 28 = 6m + 20sm + 2st. The new species is distributed in Dianzhangou, Awanchang, and Gamaliang mountain regions of Maqu county in Gansu province.     

Primula hunanensis sp. nov. (Primulaceae) from Hunan,south–central China

A new species of Primulaceae, Primula hunanensis G. Hao, C. M. Hu & X. L. Yu, from Hunan, China, is described and illustrated. Based on its general morphology it clearly belongs to P. sect. Carolinella, characterized by the calyptrate capsules, but can be distinguished by its adaxially glabrous leaves which are much longer than the petioles, blade base broadly cuneate to subrounded, umbellate inflorescence, and glabrous pedicels and calyx.     

Memecylon trunciflorum sp. nov. (Melastomataceae–Olisbeoideae) from the Udzungwa Mountains,southern Tanzania

Described and illustrated is Memecylon trunciflorum R. D. Stone, an evidently localized endemic of the Udzungwa Mountains in southern Tanzania. The new species was previously confused with the vegetatively similar but distantly related M. erythranthum Gilg and M. semseii A. Fern. & R. Fern., from which it is distinguished by its anther connectives bearing a dorsal oil‐gland and by its ellipsoid to obovoid fruits (vs anther connective gland absent and fruits globose in M. erythranthum and M. semseii). The new species is placed in M. sect. Magnifoliata R. D. Stone together with M. magnifoliatum A. Fern. & R. Fern., from which it differs by its smaller leaves mostly 9.5–15.0 × 3.5–6.0 cm (vs 18–35 × 8–13 cm), transverse veins 8–18 pairs (vs 25–28 pairs), short‐pedunculate inflorescences with secondary axes well developed (vs peduncles and secondary axes absent), white flowers (vs bluish purple), and smaller fruits mostly 11.5–14.5 × 9–11 mm on longer fruiting pedicels 8.0–13.5 mm (vs fruits 17–20 × 12–14 mm on pedicels 5.0–7.5 mm). Despite its local endemism, Memecylon trunciflorum has been assessed as ‘Least Concern’ according to IUCN criteria, although this assessment is dependent on the continued safeguarding of the Udzungwa Mountains National Park.