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Specimens attributed to Myrcia chytraculia and associated species form a complex within M. sect. Calyptranthes, occurring sympatrically throughout the Caribbean and Central America and sharing a continuously variable suite of morphometric traits. To ascertain whether species within this complex should be treated as separate or conspecific taxa, seven morphometric traits and a further two discrete characters are analysed using univariate and multivariate statistics. Leaf size and shape are found to be indicative of subspecies, and significant mean differences of traits can be found between groups, though they overlap throughout the range of the M. chytraculia complex. As a result of these findings, updated taxonomy for this group is proposed, creating the new combinations Myrcia chytraculia var. americana, Myrcia chytraculia var. pauciflora, and M. chytraculia var. zuzygium, as well as seven new synonyms. A distribution map and a key to the new varieties are also included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nomenclature of Dendrocousinsia (Hippomaneae, Euphorbiaceae) is revised and we present four new taxonomic combinations within the genus. It comprises six species and one variety. Extensive field surveys were conducted and conservation assessments are presented based on the IUCN redlist system for threatened species. Three of the species are Critically Endangered as each of them has a very restricted distribution. The other three species are Vulnerable. There has been a long debate pertinent to the taxonomic placement of Dendrocousinsia. Until extensive phylogenetic studies are performed within the Hippomaneae we propose to maintain this group as a distinct genus and not as a section within Sebastiania. This study highlights Dendrocousinsia as restricted to Jamaica with a high conservation priority because of its uniqueness and the Critically Endangered status of half of its species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]