Salpinganthium hispaniolanum gen. et sp. nov. (Fabaceae: Detarieae), a mid-Tertiary flower in Dominican amber

Salpinganthium hispaniolanum gen. et sp. nov. is described as a new fossil legume from mid-Tertiary forests of Hispaniola. Arborescent legumes of tribe Detarieae previously described from these forests include Hymenaea protera and Prioria dominicana. Flowers of the new genus and species have a bilaterally symmetrical corol-la of five petals, 10 free stamens, an elongate, cylindrical hypanthium, and one or two persistent sepals, the others perhaps being deciduous. The petals are of three markedly different shapes. The pistil is exserted from the hypanthium and is densely hirsute. The bracteoles, sepals, and petals are gland-dotted, as is appropriate for members of the resin-producing Detarieae of subfamily Detarioideae.

Taxonomic notes on some Styrax (Styracaceae) species from Brazil

Taxonomic issues regarding three species of Styrax ser. Valvatae in Brazil are addressed. Styrax bahiensis, a new species from Bahia state, northeastern Brazil, is described and illustrated. It is similar to S. pallidus in its leaves of similar size and anther thecae that exceed the connective, but differs by coriaceous leaf blades with a revolute margin, leaf domatia up to 0.7 mm long and flat or rarely slightly bulging, a yellow- or orange-stellate-tomentulose calyx abaxially, and spreading corolla lobes. The species is known only from the type collection gathered over 50 years ago. Styrax griseus is placed in synonymy under S. kuhlmannii, a species from central Brazil, and a lectotype is provided for S. kuhlmannii. An updated description and estimate of the geographic distribution of S. pauciflorus are provided, as well as a lectotype and conservation assessment for this species.

Phoradendron iltisiorum (Santalaceae), nuevo registro para el estado de Guerrero, México

Se presenta el primer registro de Phoradendron iltisiorum Kuijt especie epiparásita endémica de México, para el estado de Guerrero. Se reportan cuatro nuevas locali-dades en Guerrero y Oaxaca. También se reconoce a Cladocolea andrieuxii y C. spathiflora como nuevos hospederos parásitos de P. iltisiorum.

Una nueva especie de Virola (Myristicaceae) para Honduras

Se describe e ilustra una nueva especie para Honduras, Virola sanguinea, la cual se ha confundido con V. guatemalensis. Se diferencia de la última por tener láminas foliares con tricomas dendríticos por el envés, flores estaminadas con la columna de los filamentos más corta, y frutos más grandes y con el pericarpo más grueso. Esta nueva especie hasta el momento es endémica a Honduras. Se enumeran y se presenta una clave para diferenciar las especies dentro de este país. El descubrimiento de esta nueva especie eleva a cinco el número de especies de Virola conocidas para Honduras y a quince el total para la región Mesoamericana. Adicionalmente, se presenta el primer registro de V. multiflora para Panamá; este nombre se había aplicado anteriormente, pero las colecciones identificadas con ese nombre corresponden a una especie recién descrita y nombrada como V. fosteri.

Glandulicactus uncinatus var. wrightii (Cactaceae) with 15 cm spines

Central spines of Glandulicactus uncinatus var. wrightii have never been reported longer than 13 cm. I report plants from Anthony’s Nose in far West Texas with 15–16.5 cm central spines.

New species and records of Tricholoma (Agaricales: Tricholomataceae) sections Genuina and Megatricholoma from Costa Rica and United States

Species of Tricholoma sections Genuina and Megatricholoma are characterized by having pilei that are some shade of brown, and by white or yellow lamellae that also discolor some shade of brown. From Costa Rica in sect. Genuina, we describe as new T. luteopallidum, T. cacumense, and T. talamancense, and confirm the occurrence of Tricholoma stans, and from the United States describe as new Tricholoma brunneoluteum. Tricholoma roseoacerbum from sect. Megatricholoma is con-firmed for Costa Rica. Morphology as well as ITS sequences are employed to confirm the species’ identifications or circumscription of the new species.

Additional documented chromosome number determinations in Paysonia (Brassicaceae)

Thirteen meiotic chromosome number determinations are reported for seven species of Paysonia O’Kane & Al-Shehbaz (Brassicaceae). Our counts are in agreement with previous published numbers and we make new chromosome number reports for five counties.

The process of discovery in and new species from northern Peru, Cerro Colán, Department Amazonas, Province Bagua

A review of discoveries of plants and animals by a 1978 expedition from Louisiana State University to Peru is presented. Genesis of this study was owing to the senior author’s observation of unusually high species richness in Araceae among a collection of plants made in northern Peru. A subsequent review showed that the region was rich in many ways. Determinations to date include 983 species belonging to 513 genera and 145 families of which 81 species are endemic. Included are 59 plant taxa new to science described elsewhere. Eleven aroids (Araceae) from northern Peru are described and illustrated as new. Some records represent new taxa described from voucher specimens independently collected by botanists at prior or later dates and different localities. A collection was assigned the nov. sp. category of noteworthiness if Tropicos database (http://www.tropicos.org) showed either the Alwyn H. Gentry, et al. and or the Philip J. Barbour accession to be the first such collection known. Specimen searches in Tropicos by senior collector as Philip Barbour and separately by Gentry and constrained by appropriate dates revealed 1687 independent determined voucher specimens of which 1545 are noteworthy (92%) by the designated categories. Noteworthy categories are described and presented in appendices 2 and 3. Extralimital plant distribution records are not described here. Four new bird species/subspecies and seven new frog species were discovered on this expedition. It is important to note that after only 42 years much of the region where many of these discoveries were made is now largely devoid of natural vegetation. Appendix 4 provides detailed descriptions of habitat on Cerro Colán as recent as 2017. This study is a reminder that areas newly opened for exploration should be thoroughly and quickly studied to capture the greatest scientific benefit. It shows how much could be attained in a small span of time by a small but dedicated group of biologists.

Natural history of neotropical Ericaceae, 1

Gonocalyx pulcher (Ericaceae: Vaccinieae) has been rediscovered in the northeastern Colombian Andes after a lapse of over 135 years. Recent collections herein reported represent the only collections made since the type gathering by Schlim in 1851. The history of collections, cultivation, taxonomy, and nomenclature is re-viewed. Generic and species descriptions for G. pulcher are updated and photographic illustrations are provided. The vegetation in which G. pulcher occurs, a list of its commonly associated Ericaceae, and its conservation status are briefly described. A new second-step lectotypification is made and the associated type herbarium specimens are illustrated. A key to all 11 species of Gonocalyx is provided.

Paranephelius (Asteraceae: Liabeae): A case study in high-elevation hybridization and taxonomic insights

Paranephelius Poepp. (Liabeae: Asteraceae) is a genus, here comprised of three species confined to high-elevation Andean habitats from 3°–25°S latitude from northern Peru to northern Argentina. In a prior investigation, sequence data was analyzed from samples throughout the range of the genus to evaluate the morphological variation used in delineating species. This detailed sampling allowed for molecular studies at a fine geographic scale. Within Paranephelius, genetic divergence is low, and not adequate to fully resolve phylogenetic relationships at the species level. Two genetically and morphologically recognizable genomes were reveled in northern Peru; these correspond to P. ovatus Wedd. and P. uniflorus Poepp., respectively. Several accessions possess sequences representing putative hybrids between these two species. These putative hybrids have caused taxonomic confusion in establishing species boundaries in Paranephelius. The molecular analysis suggested that P. asperifolius (Muschl.) H. Rob. & Brettell, distributed in Bolivia and northwestern Argentina, is related to P. ovatus, while it most closely resembles P. uniflorus. Species that have changed status include, P. ferreyrae H. Rob., here within the parameters of P. uniflorus; and P. jelskii (Hieron.) H. Rob. & Brettell, P. bullatus A. Gray ex Wedd., and P. wurdackii H. Rob. are here within parameters of P. ovatus. This study is not intended to be a monograph, but does includes a key to species, descriptions, illustrations, and citation of specimens examined.