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Callitriche is a sub-cosmopolitan plant genus occurring throughout temperate regions of both hemispheres, including the peri-Antarctic islands, with 78 species worldwide. Records of Callitriche include frequent and extensive misidentification due to a combination of factors including a lack of taxonomic and nomenclatural clarification before the mid-20th century. This work aims to contribute to the taxonomic knowledge of the genus Callitriche in South America by presenting taxonomic novelties and a revision of some critical species. More specifically, seven new species are described: C. ciliata, C. concinna, C. dacryoidea, C. ecarinata, C. hegelmaieriana, C. praetermissa and C. schotsmaniana. In addition, C. marginata var. berteroana is here raised to species rank, C. mandonis, C. oblongicarpa and C. turfosa are re-established, and the names C. antarctica, C. deflexa, C. deflexa var. brauniana, C. deflexa var. glaziovii, C. deflexa var. phaeocarpa, C. heterophylla, C. heteropoda, C. terrestris and C. turfosa are typified.

Margyricarpus pinnatus is a poorly understood entity from natural grasslands of South America that it better considered as a species complex. In this work we contribute to the advancement of the taxonomic knowledge of this challenging species complex by describing two new species of Margyricarpus from southern Brazil. We present field photographs, illustrations, a distribution map and ecologic and conservation notes on the new species.

We describe a narrowly endemic new species of Delairea from the highlands of southern Brazil. It is the second species described in this previously monospecific genus that was endemic to Africa, and the first record of a native species of Delairea in the Americas. Delairea aparadensis differs from D. odorata by its deltoid leaves and capitulescences composed by cymes of 2–6 capitula. Additionally, the new species is classified as critically endangered using the IUCN criteria.

A new species of Persicaria, P. humboldtiana, endemic to a narrow area of waterfalls in Corupá, southern Brazil, is described in the present paper. The locus classicus of the new species is well-known for plant endemisms. A complete morphological description, original pictures, a distribution map, and a morphological comparison with the similar Eurasian species P. minor (≡ Polygonum minus) are given. The name Polygonum minus is lecto- and epitypified on, respectively, a Morison’s illustration and a specimen preserved at BM.

In this work we present taxonomic notes for the genus Erechtites. More specifically, we present evidence for the re-establishment of E. petiolatus, a species that was hitherto being considered as a synonym of either E. valerianifolius or E. valerianifolius f. prenanthoides. Thus, we raise to six the number of accepted species of Erechtites. We present field photographs of E. petiolatus and E. valerianifolius and assess the conservation status of these species. Furthermore, we present taxonomic notes for E. valerianifolius and Senecio prenanthoides.

Plantago robusta is a critically endangered species endemic to Saint Helena Island, a remote British island located in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean. Despite its already acknowledged considerable importance for biodiversity conservation, the species is notably poorly studied from a systematic point of view. In this work we typify the name P. robusta and present a complete account of the morphology of the species, including illustrations, field photographs and a complete description. Furthermore, we discuss important knowledge gaps concerning the species.

In this work we describe Ludwigia humboldtiana, an extremely narrowly endemic new species from a waterfall system in Corupá municipality, Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. This is already the second plant species endemic to the area. The new species is morphologically most similar to L. caparosa, L. elegans, L. multinervia and L. peruviana but differs from those by a series of taxonomically important characters. We present field photographs, a distribution map and a detailed morphological account of the new species, discuss its morphology and taxonomy in relation to the morphologically most similar other species of Ludwigia, and assess its conservation status according to IUCN criteria.

We present here novelties and notes on Tradescantia from Brazil. More specifically, we describe a narrowly endemic new species from southern Brazil (T. insularis), create a new name at the species rank (T. catharinensis) for T. crassula var. gaudichaudii, discuss the taxonomy of T. schwirkowskiana and T. serrana, and lectotypify T. tenella and present the first record of this species in the Southeast Region of Brazil. Finally, we provide an identification key to Tradescantia in Brazil.

The only species of Bergia known from South America, B. arenarioides, was originally described as Merimea arenarioides in 1829 and has been surprisingly neglected in the literature and databases since after the publication of the treatment of the Elatinaceae for Flora brasiliensis in 1872. The species is only known from two gatherings, both from northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, the most recent of which is from 1914. In this work I designate a lectotype for the species, investigate and clarify the location of its type locality and discuss its taxonomy and nomenclature. I present this information aiming at fostering the search and eventual rediscovery of the species.

Commelina dielsii is a species notable for being, together with the southern Brazilian C. catharinensis, the only native Commelina from the Americas with yellow petals. The species was up until now only known from the type gathering, made in 1878 in Entre Ríos province, north-eastern Argentina. Because it had not been collected since then, the species was considered as likely extinct. We present here the rediscovery of this species after 140 years, as the species was recently found in western Uruguay, in pampean environment. This also corresponds to the first record of the species in Uruguay. We also present field photographs, a morphological description, a distribution map for the species and its conservation status assessment.

Study of the Commelina names published for the Americas and their original materials, in the context of a continental taxonomic revision of the genus, evidenced the need for typifications and synonymisations. In this work, 18 names are lectotypified (Athyrocarpus pseudomonosperma, C. aquatica, C. bravoa, C. diffusa var. cordispatha, C. dubia Redouté nom. illeg., C. erecta f. intercursa, C. formosa, C. glabra, C. nervosa, C. pallida, C. pallida var. parviflora, C. pilosula, C. quitensis var. mandonii, C. stricta, C. undulata Lodd. nom. illeg., C. virginica var. massonii, Nephralles parviflora and Phaeosphaerion efoveolaltum), one name neotypified (C. polygama), one name epitypified (C. longicaulis) and eight new synonymisations proposed. Evidence is presented that the African species C. aquatica, which is morphologically similar to the American C. longicaulis but has a different chromosome number, is most probably not conspecific with C. diffusa. Furthermore, the situation of seven Commelina names currently recognised in some sources, which however were never validly published, is discussed.

In a recently-published work it was demonstrated that the previous circumscription of Erechtites valerianifolius encompassed two distinct species, thus calling for the re-establishment of E. petiolatus. However, in that work it was overlooked that Senecio albiflorus, a replacement name for Cacalia prenanthoides, was published three months before E. petiolatus. In the present work we make the necessary amendments to the taxonomic treatment of this species of Erechtites due to this nomenclatural oversight. We also discuss the issue of the provenance of the type of C. prenanthoides.

Plantago sect. Lancifolia is a Mediterranean group of species with complicated nomenclature and taxonomy. In this work I present nomenclatural clarifications and taxonomic rectifications for P. altissima, P. lacustris, P. lanceolata subsp. cyrenaica, P. leiopetala and P. malato-belizii. Plantago maireana is proposed as a new name for P. lanceolata subsp. cyrenaica, and P. pilgeriana for P. lanceolata var. lacustris. Concerning P. malato-belizii and P. maireana, the conclusions presented here have important implications for biodiversity conservation, as these species are geographically very restricted. I also provide a revised identification key to all species in Plantago sect. Lancifolia.

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I present here nomenclatural, taxonomic and geographic novelties in the New World Commelina (Commelinaceae). More specifically, the known distribution of C. longicaulis is expanded to include the Amazon region, and an updated nomenclatural account of the synonymy of C. erecta, C. obliqua and C. tuberosa is presented. Also, the New World synonymy of the Old World species C. benghalensis and C. diffusa is presented, and the first listing of the accepted Commelina species in the Americas since Charles Baron Clarke’s monograph published in 1881 is given. In total, 12 names are typified, and 24 synonymisations newly proposed.

Nomenclatural notes on the species of Gunnera that occur in Brazil and Uruguay are presented. More specifically, I designate a lectotype for the name G. herteri, the only species in Gunnera subg. Ostenigunnera, selected from among the collections of MVM, where Cornelius Osten’s personal herbarium is conserved. I also designate a lectotype for the name G. brasiliensis, a legitimate heterotypic synonym of G. manicata, which has been considered by some authors as an illegitimate, superfluous name. Furthermore, I provide an identification key to Gunnera in Brazil and Uruguay.

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Aiming at contributing to the knowledge of the neotropical Commelina, I designate here lectotypes for five species: C. bangii, C. hispida, C. leiocarpa, C. quitensis and C. reflexa. Images of the lectotypes are also provided. With the exception of C. leiocarpa, taxonomic and geographic knowledge of these species is extremely deficient.

We describe here Hoehnea grandiflora, a rare, critically endangered new species of Lamiaceae from high-elevation bogs in southern Brazil. The new species is similar to H. scutellarioides and can be distinguished by its shape and size of leaves, as some floral features. Its conservation status is assessed as Critically Endangered, because the new species is known from only one population located in an environmentally unprotected area. Urgent conservation studies and actions are necessary to prevent the extinction of this species. We also provide an identification key to the five species in the genus Hoehnea.

We present taxonomic and geographic novelties in the genus Plantago from Chile. More specifically, we describe P. nebularis , a new species endemic to Cerro Moreno, Antofagasta region, and propose P. zoellneriana , a new name for P. sericea subsp. araucana . We also lectotypify the name P. sericea , expand the recorded distribution of P. lanceolata and P. pachyneura to the Tarapaca region, and argue that the narrowly endemic species P. johnstonii , known only from the type which was collected in Taltal, Antofagasta region, is likely extinct.

A series of nomenclatural and taxonomic misunderstandings have surrounded the montane Indo-Iranian species in Plantago subgenus Plantago. This work has the objective of clarifying the nomenclature and taxonomy for the species and subspecies names available for these plants, in order to determine the correct species names for these entities. More specifically, P. tatarica is here lectotypified and re-established, P. griffithii is re-established, and P. aitchisonii is synonymised with P. griffithii. I provide here images of the types of the names studied, and also an identification key to Plantago subgenus Plantago in the Indo-Iranian region (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka).

Commelina clandestina has been for a long time a problematic citation for the flora of Brazil. Here, I clarify the original publication and authorship of C. clandestina Mart. and C. clandestina Hort.Berol. ex Kunth, designate lectotypes for these names, propose their synonymisation with C. tuberosa, and argue that the seeds from which the type specimens were grown in Munich and Berlin did not originate from Brazil. Finally, to summarise recent advances to the taxonomic knowledge of Commelina, I provide here an updated identification key for the genus in Brazil.

This contribution describes Phyllanthus eremitus, an extremely narrowly endemic new species from an arenitic rock outcrop in Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil. We assess the conservation status of the new species as critically endangered, because only one population is known, containing less than 30 mature individuals, and it is outside any environmental protection area. We provide a detailed morphological description, a distribution map and photographs of the new species. In addition to that, we lectotypify the name P. hyssopifolioides and present the first records of this species in Santa Catarina, which were discovered during field and herbarium work. Finally, we provide an updated identification key to Phyllanthus in Santa Catarina.

Historically there has been confusion over the status and identification of Callitriche species in South Africa. Review of herbarium specimens and fieldwork have enabled confirmation of the presence of C. deflexa as a naturalised species in this country and confirmed that C. compressa and specimens named as C. bolusii are conspecific. Field surveys showed that C. compressa still occurs in the areas from which most historic collections were made with no evidence of a decline, it is widespread but local in Kwa-Zulu Natal and Eastern Cape Provinces and extends into eastern Western Cape Province. However because it is known from only five widely scattered sites, it is classed as Vulnerable under the IUCN Red List. We also typify here the names C. compressa and C. deflexa.

This contribution presents and describes Tradescantia serrana, a new species from the edges of Araucaria forest in the highlands of southern Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil. Illustrations, photographs and a distribution map for the new species are provided. Here, we also typify T. umbraculifera, a species morphologically related to T. serrana, and present evidence against the synonymisation of T. schwirkowskiana with T. crassula proposed by Pellegrini et al. (2017). Furthermore, we extend the distribution of T. schwirkowskiana to Paraná state.

Here, I present a taxonomic and nomenclatural revision of some names within the neotropical Commelina (Commelinaceae), especially those published by Moritz August Seubert in Flora brasiliensis : C. agraria var. repens , C. guyanensis , C. martiana , C. platyphylla , C. platyphylla var. balansae , C. pohliana , C. rufipes , C. schomburgkiana , C. schomburgkiana var. brasiliensis and C. vestita , in addition to Commelinopsis glabrata (basionym of Commelina rufipes var. glabrata ). The complicated nomenclatural status of names invalidly published by Moritz Richard Schomburgk in 1849 in his Versuch einer Fauna und Flora von Britisch-Guiana is discussed. Furthermore, I provide an identification key to the nine species of Commelina that occur in Brazil, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname and Uruguay.

This contribution presents updates to the knowledge of the species of Euphorbia that occur in Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil. More specifically, we here typify the names E. cyathophora , E. hirtella , E. paranensis and E. stenophylla , and present the first records of E. cyathophora , E. graminea , E. ophthalmica and E. thymifolia for Santa Catarina. Finally, we provide an updated identification key to all 30 species of Euphorbia that occur in Santa Catarina, including native, naturalised and cultivated species.

Fimbristylis Vahl (1805: 285) (Cyperaceae, Abildgaardieae) is a genus that includes about 300 species concentrated in tropical and subtropical regions (Goetghebeur 1998, Ghamkhar et al. 2007), whose taxonomy is still problematic (Reutemann et al. 2009).

This contribution presents morphological and biogeographic evidence for the reestablishment of Plantago bradei (Plantaginaceae), an overlooked narrowly endemic species from the high summits of Serra do Caparaó, a prominent mountainous area in eastern Brazil. Specimens of this taxon were hitherto being identified as P. commersoniana, a morphologically considerably distinct species with a completely different distribution. Plantago bradei can be differentiated from P. commersoniana mainly by the elliptic-lanceolate, coriaceous leaves and the much denser inflorescences. The recognition of P. bradei is also relevant for conservation since it occurs in a single locality and is here assessed as critically endangered. In addition to that, this study presents the first records of P. guilleminiana in Serra do Caparaó, and provides an updated identification key to Plantago in this area.

Senecio reitzianus was described from sand dunes in Lagoa da Conceição (Florianópolis, Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil). The species remained to be known only from the type. Almost seventy years later, we discovered a population of this species in Costão do Santinho, about 20 km from the type locality. A detailed account of this population is provided and its conservation status is assessed. We also present photographs of this species from the wild and also of the holotype, as well as a new description and comparisons with similar species in the genus. Our results reinforce the urgent need of further field work, especially on data-deficient species, in order to have a chance to prevent the species extinction.

Here, I review the synonymy of Craniolaria integrifolia and typify this name and its synonyms, including the taxonomically complicated species C. argentina. The distribution of C. integrifolia is also greatly extended by the discovery of a gathering of this species from Piauí, north-eastern Brazil, and the recognition of overlooked gatherings from Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, where the type specimen most probably originated from. An updated identification key to the species of Craniolaria is also provided.

This work presents and describes Hypoxis atlantica, a new species only known from two disjunct coastal areas in eastern Brazil. Despite our best efforts to collect this species in other areas, we had to assess its conservation status as data deficient. We include here a complete description, photographs, a distribution map and an updated identification key to the species of Hypoxis in South America.

This contribution presents and describes Siphocampylus baccae and S. sevegnaniae, two narrowly endemic new species from waterfalls and rocky cliffs in Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil. We assess the conservation status of both species as critically endangered (CR) according to the IUCN criteria. We present descriptions, photographs, a distribution map and taxonomic comments on the new species along with an identification key to the species of Siphocampylus that occur in Santa Catarina.

This article describes Plantago hatschbachiana, a narrowly-endemic new species from sandstone grasslands in Brazil. Specimens of this species were until now being identified as P. commersoniana. Plantago hatschbachiana is here assessed as critically endangered as it apparently only survives in one of its three recorded localities where it is currently threatened by an invasive shrub. In addition to that, the authorship of the name P. commersoniana is here discussed, and an updated identification key to Plantago in Brazil and Paraguay is here provided.

With this contribution we designate a lectotype for the name Commelina vilavelhensis, and present evidence for the synonymisation of this name under C. obliqua. We also designate here lectotypes for the names C. robusta and C. scabrata, other synonyms of C. obliqua, and discuss the taxonomic and nomenclatural situation of the name Heterocarpus obliquus. Furthermore, we present evidence that the lectotype of C. obliqua originated from plants cultivated in Paris, France and not in Uppsala, Sweden as currently accepted. We also provide here the first identification key to the eight species of Commelina that occur in the South region of Brazil.

Saranthe ustulata was described by Otto Georg Petersen in 1890 based on undated material collected by Johann Friedrich Theodor Müller in southern Brazil during the nineteenth century. Since then, absolutely no information was available about this species, and it has even recently been thought as probably extinct. More than a century later, we discovered in the “Railroad of Bromeliads” (Apiúna municipality, Santa Catarina state, Brazil) a population of S. ustulata. A detailed description of this species is provided and its conservation status is assessed. Furthermore, we designed a lectotype and an epitype for this name. Our results reinforce the urgent need of more taxonomic research both in tropical regions, and in older herbaria, where a multitude of new species still await discovery and description.

This contribution presents and describes Commelina catharinensis, a new, narrow endemic species only known from two very restricted areas of coastal vegetation in Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil. Both localities where this species has been collected are currently highly threatened by both legal and illegal urban advance. The new species classifies as endangered (EN) according to the IUCN criteria. We also provide here the first identification key to the species of Commelina that occur in Santa Catarina.

This study raises two rather poorly understood subspecies to the rank of species, and revalidates two subspecies in Plantago (Plantaginaceae) section Virginica . Plantago napiformis , formerly P. tomentosa subsp. napiformis , is an uncommon species from grasslands in northeastern Argentina, southern Paraguay and southern Brazil. Plantago pretoana , formerly P. australis subsp. pretoana , is a rare species, endemic to high-elevation bogs in two small areas in southern Brazil: Serra do Itatiaia, and around Lagoa Dourada. Plantago australis subsp. angustifolia and P. australis subsp. hirtella have been recently synonymised under P. australis subsp. australis , but we present evidence here for the revalidation of these two subspecies. We also revise the distribution of P. australis subsp. angustifolia , greatly reducing it, and expand the distribution of P. australis subsp. australis . Finally, we provide an updated identification key to all 22 Plantago species and subspecies in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and northeastern Argentina.