Nicotiana rupicola sp. nov and Nicotiana knightiana (Paniculatae, Solanaceae), a new endemic and a new record for the flora of Chile

Nicotiana knightiana is recorded for the first time for the flora of Chile. A new species of Nicotiana, endemic to the coast of the Coquimbo region is described and illustrated. Molecular analysis placed the new species within the section Paniculatae, as sister to Nicotiana cordifolia, endemic to Juan Fernandez islands. The new species can be considered critically endangered (CR) according to the IUCN categories for its restricted and fragmented distribution, small population number, and the threat that urbanization and mining activities represent for the conservation of the biodiversity of the area.

Setaria parviflora (knotroot foxtail).

S. parviflora is a variable, self-compatible, rhizomatous, C4 plant with a short lived seed bank, commonly regarded as an agricultural weed both in its native and introduced range (Rabinowitz and Rapp, 1981; Pensiero, 1999; Mollard et al., 2007; Mollard and Insausti, 2011; Randall, 2012). It often colonizes cultivated and disturbed soils or waste places including seasonally wet sites and salt marshes (Hubbard, 1954; Leithead et al., 1971; Pott and Pott, 2004; Edgar and Connor, 2010). It can contaminate wool (Ryves et al., 1996), seed crops, especially those of grasses such as dryland rice, lawn seed and Bahia grass (Paspalum notatum) (Silveira Filho and Aquino, 1983; Wehtje et al., 2008; Seed Regulatory and Testing Branch, 2011) and degrade and dominate sod and pastures (including alfalfa), lowering hay quality, a problem because it can cause lesions in livestock (Murphy et al., 1992; Arregui et al., 2001; Muller and Via, 2012). Land infested with it might be considered to have lower value because of poor pasture. It is regarded as a member of the alien flora of Chile (Ugarte et al., 2011).

First record of Dittrichia graveolens (Asteraceae, Inuleae) in Chile

Dittrichia graveolens is reported for the first time for the flora of Chile and for the Southern Cone. A brief description as well as illustrative pictures of the species and the habitat are provided. Furthermore, we present a map of the site where the population was found and a short key to the species of Dittrichia present in Chile. Insights about its potential invasiveness are discussed.

Nomenclatural novelties and a new species in Chilean Cactaceae

The taxonomy of Chilean Cactaceae is notoriously difficult (see e.g., Duarte et al. 2014). Molecular data, and phylogenetic approaches, provided answer to better understand the natural classification of cacti (see e.g., Nyffeler 2002, Edwards 2005, Nyffeler & Eggli 2010, Ritz et al. 2012, Schlumpberger & Renner 2012, Larridon et al. 2015, 2018). As part of an ongoing revision of the Chilean Cacti, which is part of the “Modern Flora of Chile” initiative, nomenclatural novelties are needed in Eulychnia Philippi (1860: 23), Leucostele Backeberg (1953: 36) and Maihueniopsis Spegazzini (1925: 86) (Cactaceae Juss.).

Panorama de la anatomía sistemática de la madera en Chile

The woody Flora of Chile presents an interesting field for systematic wood anatomy studies due to its peculiar features: presence of species with wide or narrow latitudinal distribution, species with high longevity, genera with wide distribution in America but with their meridional limits in Chile, genera with disjunction distribution, endemic genera, monogeneric families, monospecific genera and genera that need a taxonomic revision. Studies related to the topic of this symposium, in Chile are scarce and there are no scientists specialized on systematic wood anatomy. However, the potentiality exists to do research on this field and it is urgent to promote the scientific formation in this area. To achieve this objective the international cooperation with other universities and research institutions is necessary.

Provisional catalogue of the flora of San Ignacio de Huinay, Chile

Contribution to the vascular plants flora of San Ignacio de Huinay natural reserve, Comau fiord, Región de los Lagos, Chile. To date, 262 species with their herbaria sheets stored in 5 different American and European herbaria (CONC, M, MA, and SGO) and that of Huinay, are known in the territory. In this work some first new records for the South Cone are included, such as Potentilla anglica, Plantago media, and Mentha x rotundifolia. Furthermore, some of the records are new for the Flora of Chile, such as Juncus burkartii, only known from Argentina). Other species very scarcely cited in Chile, such as Solanum nigrum and Bromus squarrosus, are also included.

An annotated checklist of the genus Tristagma (Amaryllidaceae, Allioideae)

Tristagma is a South American genus distributed in Argentina and Chile. Species circumscription in Tristagma has been a source of confusion for various reasons; e.g., generic concepts, nomenclatural inconsistencies, and doubtful species. As a first step towards a revision of Tristagma, the nomenclatural history is reviewed. Following an extensive review of specimens in various American and European herbaria, a generic description and a list of names and their types are here provided. Thirteen names are lectotypified, seven are synonymized, three holotypes are identified for the first time, one neotype is designated, a new combination is made, and 12 species are recognized: T. ameghinoi, T. anemophilum, T. berteroi, T. bivalve, T. circinatum, T. gracile, T. graminifolium, T. nivale, T. patagonicum, T. poeppigianum, T. porrifolium, and T. violaceum. A new record of the flora of Chile: T. circinatum is also reported. Additionally, five doubtful species are mentioned and three are excluded from Tristagma. Another five species names referred in the literature to Tristagma have already been transferred to other genera. We also provide conservation assessments, distribution maps and an identification key to species.

Assessing floristic representativeness in the protected areas national system of Chile: are vegetation types a good surrogate for plant species?

SUMMARYConservation planning relies heavily on representativeness patterns. In Chile, this has not been assessed at the species level. This study evaluates floristic representativeness in the National System of Protected Areas (SNASPE). Species rarefaction and non-parametric estimators were used to extrapolate total representativeness. Given that conservation planning in Chile is mainly based on protecting vegetation types, the effectiveness of using vegetation types as a surrogate of plant species was evaluated based on richness and complementarity. The study found available information for 42% of the 96 protected areas of continental Chile. According to this information the SNASPE protects at least 48% of the native vascular flora. The southern area protects the largest number of species, most of which are non-endemic natives. The largest number of endemic protected species was found in the central-northern area. The SNASPE in its full range is projected to protect 64% of the vascular flora of Chile. Richness and complementarity surrogacy analyses showed weak effectiveness of vegetation types as a surrogate of plant species, although complementarity performed slightly better than richness. Surrogacy effectiveness was lower for endemic species, probably due to their narrow distributions that are more easily missed when vegetation types are considered instead.