Search

Viola suavis subsp. naqshii (Violaceae) from Kashmir Himalaya, India is described here. The new taxon is based on characters like linear-lanceolate stipules with long fimbriae, position of bracteoles on peduncle and curved nature of the spur. Comparison of diagnostic characters of this new taxon with closely related taxa and photo-illustrations are also provided to facilitate field identification.

Just a few months after the publication of the Flore de la Nouvelle-Calédonie treatment for Asclepiadoideae, Periplocoideae and Secamonoideae, an unknown plant species obviously belonging to the genus Leichhardtia R.Br. was spotted while watching the local Wéari television programme on Caledonia channel and made available on YouTube. The focus of the TV programme was the remote and difficult to access Yandé island, in the extreme north of New Caledonia’s Grande Terre. Since few botanical investigations have been undertaken on this isolated island, the Wéari programme was an opportunity to get a better overview of its natural environment and plants. Here, we describe this Leichhardtia species and name it after this TV programme. Leichhardtia weari Gâteblé, Meve & Liede, sp. nov. is a narrowly endemic species with whitish flowers that is growing on serpentinite derived soils and known from less than ten individuals. Due to anthropogenic fire threat and its obvious rarity, we propose to consider it as Critically Endangered. In addition, a nomenclatural problem is fixed by proposing the new combination Leichhardtia guillauminiana (P.T.Li) Gâteblé, Meve & Liede, comb. nov; and a key for the now 20 species of Leichhardtia native to New Caledonia is presented.

A new species, Euphorbia guadalhorcensis of Euphorbia subgenus Esula, section Paralias is described and illustrated. The new species can be separated from the other species in the section by several morphological characteristics, such as chamaephytic and erect habit, and the presence of indumentum on the leaves, stems, dichasia, cyathia, and fruits. In addition, a morphometric study of the ibero-balearic species of sect. Paralias showed that the seeds of the new species are different by having the longest caruncles and highest relation caruncle length/seed length. The new taxon occurs on the low, xeric, and rocky mountains of Sierra del Hacho de Pizarra and Sierra del Hacho de Álora, both localised in the Guadalhorce River Valley in the province of Malaga (Andalusia, Spain).

The new species described here was collected during expeditions carried out in the Lago do Amapá Environmental Protection Area, located in Acre State, Brazil. Morphological analysis and comparisons with close species confirmed that the collected specimens are a new species for science. Passiflora acreana was placed in P. subg. Passiflora, sect. Granadillastrum Triana & Planch., and can be distinguished by the presence of foliaceous, reniform, awned stipules, 4–8 pedunculate petiolar glands, with apex concave, and corona with 10 series of filaments. Descriptions, illustrations, distribution map, and conservation status are presented.

Deng, Yun-Fei (2023): Nomenclatural Notes on the name Euphorbia neorugosa (Euphobiaceae). Phytotaxa 591 (1): 77-79, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.591.1.8, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-22-0755-PDN

Euphorbia telanganensis (Euphorbiaceae), a new species is described and illustrated from dry deciduous forest of Amrabad Tiger Reserve, the Eastern Ghats of Telangana state. The present new species is similar to Euphorbia jodhpurensis but differs in obovate or elliptic-obovate or ovate-elliptic, abaxillay pubescent leaves, 1.5–2.2 mm long peduncle, turbinate involucre, ellipsoid glands, unequal gland limbs, shallowly undulate posterior limbs, capsules deeply keeled, and trigonous.

Two high Andean taxa from South Peru, Viola ornata and Viola longibracteolata, are described and illustrated. During a series of ecotourism and botanical expeditions in the Moquegua and Arequipa regions, four populations of V. ornata and one population of V. longibracteolata were discovered. Both species are compared with morphologically similar species of subg. Neoandinium. Their resemblances and differences are discussed, including by means of a key. We have determined the potential IUCN status of both new species as Critically Endangered (CR).

Croton is a megadiverse pantropical genus with about 1200 species. The genus can be easily recognized by a set of characters that include indumentum of stellate or lepidote trichomes, colored or clear latex, leaves often with nectary glands, and terminal inflorescences. We focus on the State of Paraná in southern Brazil, where we identified a gap in knowledge of Croton. This study was based on fieldwork and herbarium surveys that allowed us to document all Croton species occurring in the state. We recognize 41 species for the state and provide an identification key, taxonomic notes, and distribution maps for all species. We also include photographs and carry out lectotypifications when necessary. We expect this work will contribute to a better understanding of Croton diversity and distribution in southern Brazil.

Croton nagaoi (Euphorbiaceae) is described based on a specimen collected from the basin of the Bolaven Plateau, southern Laos. It is most similar to Croton thorelii Gagnep. of Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam in size and shape of lamina, short petioles less than 1 cm long, and basal glands lateral on the abaxial midrib base, but different in having densely stellate hairy lower leaf surface (vs. very sparsely pubescent and glabrescent in C. thorelii), smaller sepals and petals of staminate flowers (sepals and petals ca. 2.2 mm long vs. 3 mm long and 2.5 mm long, respectively), and the presence of petals in pistillate flowers (vs. absent). Morphological descriptions, photographs, vernacular name, and preliminary conservation status are provided for C. nagaoi.

After having been incorrectly identified as Passiflora ambigua for years, a new species was revealed during a revision project to the Passiflora supersection Laurifoliae. The morphology of the plant, as well as the coronal structure and colour of the large showy flowers suggest a closer taxonomic relationship with Passiflora nitida rather than Passiflora ambigua. However, the very unusual colour of the corolla and fruit, as well as the location and shape of the petiolar nectaries, are distinctively different from either two species, and the uniquely coloured flowers are among some of the darkest colours seen in Laurifoliae overall. This led to further fieldwork and the eventual conclusion of Passiflora coloranigra sp. nov. Its ecology, taxonomy and association with the other species within Passiflora supersect. Laurifoliae are discussed in this paper.

Glochidion malingheense, a new species from southwestern Guizhou, China, is described. Morphologically, the new species is most similar to G. oblatum Hook. f. in having angled branchlets, leathery leaves, and thick pericarp of capsules that become lignified to some extent when dry, but clearly differs from the latter by its long pedicelled pistillate flowers that are with oblong sepals, short cylindrical styles, depressed globose ovary, subcircular to broadly ellipticum sepals of staminate flowers, 3 stamens and smaller fruits.

Passiflora zapalinamensis, a new species of the northern Mexican flora with uncinate trichomes, is herein described and illustrated. This species is endemic to the canyons and hills of the Sierra de Zapalinamé within the state of Coahuila, and the extended Sierra Madre Oriental of northeastern Mexico. It belongs to the subgenus Decaloba, supersection Bryonioides. It can be readily distinguished from its most morphologically similar species Passiflora hispidula by its subopposite to alternate glabrous nectaries, consistently rounded foliar apices, red stems and secluded distribution. Its taxonomy, ecology and conservation are discussed.

Passiflora mistratensis, a new species of Passiflora sect. Granadillastrum is described and illustrated. This species has been known for several years from its popular cultivation in European collections and horticulture, however, an official name never was assigned to this new taxon. It is endemic to the Colombian Cauca River valley where it grows in premontane tropical wet cloud forest of the states Valle de Cauca, Risaralda and Antioquia. It is most closely related to Passiflora danielii and Passiflora trisulca, from which it can be readily distinguished by the combination of its unlobed leaves and the notably shorter inflorescence and corni. Its taxonomy, ecology and conservation are discussed in this paper.

The taxonomy of the family Linaceae has not been updated for over two decades and, particularly in Mexico, there is no work evaluating the taxonomic status of all its species. This study provides an update and integrates each of the taxa in the family Linaceae distributed in Mexico. Specimens of plants of this family collected from across the distribution range in Mexico and deposited in herbaria and digital databases, as well as specialized literature, were reviewed. Twenty-four native and one introduced species belonging to two genera, in addition to two varieties, were recognized for the family; the rate of endemism is more than 50% and all native species are under some threat. Reflecting the previously limited knowledge of the group, many of the specimens that we studied had been misidentified. We provide morphological descriptions, supplemented with photographs, illustrations, morphological descriptions, synonymy, ecological data, assessment of conservation status, and a key to differentiate these species. Results presented here reduce the number of native Linum species present in Mexico, modify the distribution range of others, provide data about conservation, as well as new records, and support the presence of the genus Hesperolinon in Mexican territory.

Euphorbia section Plagianthae contains only two highly distinctive accepted species of Malagasy endemic Euphorbia, restricted to the arid southern part of the island. In this paper we propose an epitype for Euphorbia plagiantha, and a lectotype for Euphorbia fiha, a name designated as a synonym of Euphorbia plagiantha. We also designate a lectotype for Euphorbia salota, and present a distribution map for the section in Madagascar.

Garcinia yaatapsap (Clusiaceae), a new species from northern Myanmar, is described and illustrated. The new species is most similar to G. stipulata and G. nujiangensis, but differs primarily by its subsessile, subcordate to cordate leaves and strongly angled branchlets (versus petiolate, cuneate leaves and terete branches in G. stipulata and G. nujiangensis).

Breynia pseudorostrata Huan C. Wang & Feng Yang, a new species in Phyllanthaceae, is described and illustrated. The new species was found in central Yunnan Province, southwest China. It morphologically resembles B. rostrata, but clearly differs from the latter by its ovate to elliptic leaf blades with broadly rounded to acute apex, styles strict, broad and nearly connate at base, stigmas with 2 shallow and completely inflexed lobes, and apex of capsule subtruncate.

Chen, Wei-Chih, Chung, An-Ching, Wang, Chih-Chiang, Yang, Sheng-Zehn, Chen, Po-Hao (2022): Passiflora (Passifloraceae) in Taiwan. Phytotaxa 538 (1): 79-83, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.538.1.7

The Sierra de las Nieves National Park, declared by the Spanish Government in July 2021, is part of the Serranía de Ronda (Western Baetic mountains), which is considered one of the main centres of biodiversity and endemicity of the southern Iberian Peninsula (Andalusia, Spain) and the Mediterranean Basin. The park and its surroundings have an important diversity of vascular plants, mainly due to the orographic, climatic and geological diversity of the area, which is divided into three biogeographical sectors: Rondeño sector (limestones, dolomites and clays), Bermejense sector (peridotites and serpentines) and Aljíbico sector (gneisses and micaschists). This contribution presents the first catalogue of the vascular flora of this national park and its surrounding area, with 1,387 taxa distributed in 104 families and 542 genera. An amount of 79 taxa are endemic to Andalusia and 57 are endangered: 4 are Critically Endangered (CR), 17 are Endangered (EN) and 36 are Vulnerable (VU).

Bhesa xieii, a new species of Centroplacaceae from southern China, is described and illustrated. Morphological comparison with Bhesa robusta, B. paniculata and B. ceylanica is provided. Both morphological and molecular evidences clearly indicate that B. xieii is a distinct species. It differs in capsules narrowly ovate, ca. 3 cm long, apex obtuse, peduncle thick, ca. 3 mm long; racemes; flowers pale yellow, pedicels 1.5–2.5 mm long; calyx lobes broadly ovate to subrotundate, apex obtuse; petals ovate to oblong-elliptic, apex obtuse, inflexed; lamina oblong-elliptic to narrowly ovate, base obtuse or subtruncate, apex acute or obtuse.

A catalogue of type specimens deposited at the herbarium of Chongqing Natural History Museum (CQNM) is carried out. A total of 62 specimens belonging to 56 gatherings concerning 37 valid published names in 23 families of Chinese seed plants are documented as original materials. They include seven isotypes, 21 syntypes, of which 16 of them are isolectotypes and 34 paratypes. A checklist of the 37 names is presented with annotations on the typification, authorship citation, type localities and other taxonomic issues. Eight names were lectotypified, and one name’s second-step lectotype is proposed. Additionally, Distylium lanceolatum Chun, which is invalid pending for further study, and which has long been treated as a synonym of D. dunnianum H.Lév., is listed after the 37 names.

Croton bacupariensis, an endemic species from the coastal plain of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, is described and illustrated. The new species shares morphological features with Croton gnaphalii, but differs mainly by the habit, indumentum of leaves and morphology of pistillate flowers. In addition; C. gnaphalii occurs all over the Pampa’s grasslands of Argentina, Uruguay and Rio Grande do Sul.

We present here a taxonomic treatment of Croton sect. Lasiogyne occurring in Brazil. This study is based on field collections and analyses of more than 1,300 specimens held in 47 herbaria. Eleven species are recorded in Brazil, occurring in almost all phytogeographic domains (except the Pampa). Six species of those species are endemic to that country (Croton blanchetianus, C. claussenianus, C. compressus, C. jacobinensis, C. limae, and C. suassunae). The total absence of extrafloral nectaries and reduplicate-valvate sepals, or valvate sepals, are proposed here as morphological characteristics for the recognition of Brazilian species of the section Lasiogyne. The main characters used to differentiate the species are: branching pattern, stipule shape, venation, trichome type, shape of the sepals of the pistillate flower, shape and number of ramifications of the style, capsule shape, and seed surface texture. Croton macrocalyx is excluded here from this section and positioned in C. sect. Barhamia.

A new species from Costa Rica is described following a closer analysis of the Passiflora nitida complex. Given that the actual true identification of Passiflora nitida typified from Venezuela but distributed throughout South America was rather poorly constrained, the new species presented here was long identified incorrectly as supposedly being a form of P. nitida, for it sharing several floral characteristics. Following intense revision of the source literature, supplemented by fieldwork across Central America, the Costa Rican accessions of “Passiflora nitida” appeared to be significantly different from its South American counterpart in several morphological and habitational characteristics. While it was found that true Passiflora nitida only inhabits non-volcanic terrains, Passiflora brauliensis sp. nov. presented in this paper attributes to be the only member of this complex endemic to solely volcanic regions, where it is found in wet lowland to premontane transitional forest on the eastern flanks of Costa Rica’s most active volcanoes. The ecology, distribution, and association with the Passiflora nitida complex is highlighted, as well as its relationship with the other species within Passiflora supersect. Laurifoliae found throughout Latin America.

A new species of Erythroxylum from Colombia and Panamá is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to Erythroxylum acuminatum from Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Bolivia but differs from this species by its longer and caducous stipules, with two longer lateral setae, and by the underdeveloped anterior ligule of the petals.

Byrsonima is the second largest genus of Malpighiaceae with approximately 130 species, of which ca. 100 species occur in Brazil. Despite its economic and ecological importance, the genus has not been comprehensively studied in Roraima, the northernmost state in Brazil. Here we present a taxonomic synopsis for the species of Byrsonima from Roraima, with an identification key, illustrations, and comments on morphology, habitat, and geographical distribution. Of the 19 species occurring in Roraima, three are recorded for the first time for the state (B. arthropoda, B. densa, and B. fernandezii). Also, one species is endemic (B. delicatula, recently described), and two (B. chalcophylla and B. schomburgkiana) occur in Brazil only in the state of Roraima.

We describe and illustrate two new species of Jatropha from Bahia State, Brazil: Jatropha longibracteata and Jatropha paganuccii. The two new species occur on limestone outcrops in seasonally dry tropical forests. We also provide a distribution map and IUCN conservation status, as well as morphological comparisons with the closely related species J. calcarea, J. martiusii, and J. palmatipartita.

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.

Acridocarpus taitensis (Malpighiaceae), a new species collected from Taita Hills (Ngangao Forest fragment), Kenya, is described and illustrated. The new entity is similar to A. congestus, but is distinguished by its longer glandular leaves, with markedly impressed lateral veins on the adaxial leaf surfaces, smaller bracts, and fruits with the apex of the wings obtuse in shape. This species has previously been recorded as Acridocarpus sp. in the book Kenya, Trees & Shrubs and as Acridocarpus taxon A in the book Kenya, Trees, Shrubs & Lianas.

We describe and illustrate here a new species of Rinorea from the Brazilian states of Bahia and Espírito Santo, under the name Rinorea gemmulata. The new species occurs in the understory of seasonally dry riparian and semi-deciduous forests. The new species could be diagnosed by the combination of opposite leaves, free stamens, velutinous connective and for the unique presence of perulate buds. We provide a distribution map, a preliminary IUCN conservation assessment, and illustrations, as well as morphological comparison with the sympatric R. ramiziana and the putatively related R. vaupesana and R. villosiflora.

Two new species from Pastaza Province Ecuador, Tetrathylacium longirachis and T. sarayakuorum are described and illustrated, one species name previously placed in synonymy, T. nutans is recognized as a distinct species and illustrated. In doing so we increase the number of accepted species in the genus from two to five and identify the Pastaza region in Ecuador as an area of exceptional species richness for Tetrathylacium. We also lectotypify the generotype, T. macrophyllum and neotipify T. nutans. In addition, we provide a key for the identification of the species.

All species of Podostemaceae grow only in rocky rapids and waterfalls and usually consist of separate populations. Previous studies found paraphyletic species among such species and suggested that possibly more species are paraphyletic. Molecular phylogenetic analyses and comparative morphology using samples from different populations found that Cladopus fallax C.Cusset and Polypleurum wallichii (R.Br. ex Griff.) Warm. are paraphyletic to C. taiensis C.Cusset and P. schmidtianum Warm., respectively. It is interpreted that the daughter species markedly differentiated morphologically from a population of the mother species, and perhaps paraphyletic speciation is associated with allopatric speciation. Molecular and morphological data indicate that P. wallichii is conspecific with P. stylosum (Wight) J.B.Hall, so the redefined P. wallichii is widely distributed in southern and southeastern Asia.

Based on fieldwork and an extensive analysis of herbarium and type collections, a new species which grows in sedimentary soil in the Brazilian semiarid region, Erythroxylum pyan (Erythroxylaceae), is described here. The new species occurs in areas of hyperxerophilic caatinga in the states of Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Pernambuco, and Bahia. Erythroxylym pyan resemble E. nummularium, but can be distinguished by having slender branches, foliar stipules non-striated longitudinally, 2-setulose at apex, leaf blades membranous to slightly chartaceous, emarginate to retuse at apex, inflorescences with 1 flower per node, long, slender and erect pedicels, and calyx lobes cuspidate at apex. Additionally, a distribution map and data about its phenology, conservation status, and uses are provide.

Ouratea robusta, a new species from the Atlantic Forest in northeastern Brazil is described and illustrated. Comments about the habitat, phenology and distribution are presented. The new species is morphologically similar to O. crassa and O. fieldingiana, both occurring in the states of Alagoas, Bahia and Sergipe, but can be easily distinguished from these by the entire or slightly serrate leaves, flabellate petals and the showy, stout panicle.

Erythroxylum calyptratum, sp. nov. (Erythroxylaceae), from Mt. Fansipan, Hoang Lien National Park, Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam, is newly described. The new species is characterized by thinly chartaceous leaves with 2–3 mm long petiole, 1–3 flowered inflorescences, downward facing white flowers, well-developed petal appendages (1/3–1/2 length of petals) and entirely free 3 styles. A description, illustrations, DNA barcodes of rbcL and matK and a key to the species of Erythroxylum in Indochina are provided.

Glandonia is a rare genus comprising three species confined to Amazonian rainforest. Glandonia macrocarpa has been documented in some localities of the lower Rio Negro, in the municipality of Manaus, Brazil. Glandonia prancei is represented by only a few herbarium specimens, which were collected along the Madeira and Purus rivers in the 1960s and 70s. A recent record of G. prancei was discovered while analyzing collections of G. macrocarpa, providing a new locality where we found and collected G. prancei. Glandonia williamsii, which had not been recorded in Brazil for the past three decades, was collected in the upper Rio Negro in this study. This work reexamines the taxonomy of the genus, based on fieldwork and herbarium specimens, and includes notes on morpho-anatomy, distribution and phenology. New morpho-anatomical characters are provided to better describe the species (e.g., outline of epidermal cell walls of the leaf, arrangement of petiolar vascular system, bracteole gland surface, and distribution of glands on the leaf blade and petals).

Turnera spicata, a new species from the Atlantic Forest of the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, is described and illustrated here. The new species belongs to the ser. Capitatae, it can be recognized by leaves with 1–2(–3) pairs of basilaminar nectaries, bracteoles lanceolate, inflorescence spike-like abbreviated raceme, corolla white with yellow base and fruits with verrucose epicarp. Turnera spicata is morphologically compared with the closer species, T. albicans.

Vismia conduplicata, a new species of Hypericaceae from Mato Grosso state, Brazil, is described and illustrated. It is associated to “campos de murundus”, a kind of Cerrado physiognomy with woody plants growing on earth mounds, in a grassland matrix. The species was included in Vismia sect. Trianthera, based on the number of stamens per stamen fascicle and the number of ovules per locule. A comparison with the morphologically similar species Vismia micrantha is also provided.

Tovomita Aublet (1775: 956) is a Neotropical genus with ca. 70 spp. Recent discoveries of new taxa displaying peculiarities in the leaves and fruits (Poncy & Offroy, 2006; Marinho et al., 2016) have increased the morphological variation within the genus. The fruits are historically neglected in the taxonomy of the group because most species have a common pattern of fruit morphology (i.e., spheroid or pyriform, smooth epicarp, red mesocarp, and orange aril). In addition, the ovary in Tovomita has four to six locules, but the intraspecific variation in the number of carpels has not been recorded, except for the T. weddelliana Planchon & Triana (1860: 277) species complex. During a field work in Teles Pires River, Mato Grosso state, Brazil, we found a remarkable population of T. laurina Planchon & Triana (1860: 282) that includes individuals with an unusual morphological variation in the fruits: five to seven carpels. Tovomita laurina was described only based on staminate plants, and the pistillate flower and fruits have not yet been described. Thus, we present a description of the reproductive whorls and fruits of T. laurina based on specimens from various locations and pictures of the living plant taken in situ. Additionally, we designate a lectotype and discuss the differences in the number of petals from the original description.

This work describes and illustrates Bernardia hamadryadica, from the Chapada Diamantina, in northeastern Brazil. The new species is distinguished from the other species of the genus by the combination of the following characters: shrubby habit; young leaves and inflorescences usually produced on short shoots; membranaceous leaf laminas less than 6 cm long, with disk-shaped, slightly prominent glands on the abaxial surface; spiciform staminate inflorescences up to 1 cm long; entire style branches; and indumentum of simple trichomes.

The new species Sauvagesia insolita (Ochnaceae) is described and illustrated from campo rupestre vegetation of Sete Passagens State Park, in the northeastern most portion of the Espinhaço Range in Bahia, Brazil. Sauvagesia insolita is morphologically similar to the recently described S. paganuccii, for which we also provide an emended description. These species share an unusual floral polymorphism, where some flowers of the same individual bear free, filamentous staminodes external to the corona-like fused staminodal whorl, which is a feature newly reported for Salvagesia subsect. Vellozianae. They differ mainly by the shape and size of the leaves and the number of flowers per inflorescence.

Phylogenetic relationships for 14 of the 15 species of Amorimia (Malpighiaceae) were inferred based on ndhF plastid DNA and ETS nuclear ribosomal DNA using both parsimony and Bayesian methods. Our results show that: (1) the monophyly of the genus is corroborated with the new circumscription of the A. rigida complex; (2) several morphological and phytochemical characters support Amorimia and its two main clades; and (3) these clades can be proposed as new subgenera in Amorimia.

Manihot macrocarpa is described and illustrated. This species resembles M. compositifolia because of its lianescent habit and indehiscent fruits, but differs by its simple, unlobed leaves and orbicular fruits (vs. compound, [3–]5[–7]-foliolate leaves and ellipsoid fruits in M. compositifolia). Manihot macrocarpa occurs in areas of rain forest in southern Bahia State. It is considered endangered (EN B1) because it has an extent of occurrence smaller than 5,000 km2 and is known from no more than five locations. A key to Manihot species with indehiscent fruits and comments about the new species are provided.

The description of a new species belonging to the Amorimia rigida complex (Malpighiaceae) is herein presented, based on leaf anatomy and macro-morphology. Amorimia tumida is endemic to northern state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and it can be differentiated from the remaining species of the A. rigida complex by the absence of glands on the leaf blades, elliptic leaf blades, divergent angle of the secondary veins, reduced number of flowers in the inflorescence, thickened fruiting pedicels, and indumentum of the filaments, styles and samaras. This study includes macro and micro-morphological descriptions, along with an updated identification key for the species of the complex, illustrations, a distribution map, conservation assessment, and comments on ecology and taxonomy.

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.

A new species of Byrsonima (Malpighiaceae), and a replacement name, along with a status change are proposed. These taxonomic novelties are endemic to rocky fields in the southwest of Minas Gerais state, Brazil. We present full morphological descriptions, illustrations, distribution maps and comments on conservation, distribution, and taxonomic affinities of both species.

Stigmaphyllon occidentale is described and illustrated. This species belongs to the S. paralias complex and can be differentiated by indumentum, leaf, floral and fruit morphology. This work includes a full morphological description for the new species, along with illustrations, a distribution map, comments on conservation assessment, ecology and taxonomy, and a table distinguishing S. occidentale from S. bannisterioides, S. harleyi and S. paralias.

Coleostachys is a monospecific genus of Neotropical Malpighiaceae, known in the literature from only two collections. After a thorough analysis of Brazilian and International herbaria, we present a taxonomic revision of Coleostachys. This work includes a complete morphological description of the genus and its single species, C. genipifolia, along with line drawings and photograph plates, a distribution map, and comments on taxonomy, ecology and conservation of this obscure Amazonian genus.

Hirtella prancei, a new species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, is described, illustrated and its morphological affinities with other species are discussed. The new species differs from the closely related H. hebeclada and H. santosii mainly by its indumentum on young branches and inflorescences, leaves that are usually larger with a bullate surface and greater number of secondary veins, and by its longer stipules and inflorescences. Hirtella prancei is only known from wet forests in southern Bahia State, Brazil. A more detailed morphological description and new data on distribution and habitat are also provided for H. santosii, which was based on an analysis of additional specimens.

Tovomita clarkii is a species endemic to Venezuela. The name of this species was first suggested in 1989 by J.J. Pipoly while labeling herbaria material; however, this species was never officially described. Besides the description, here we provide data on the distribution and conservation status of this new species, and discuss its morphological affinities.