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We present the rediscovery of Banisteriopsis magdalenensis, including an updated morphological description, illustrations, distribution map, and notes on conservation, ecology and taxonomic affinities. The species is endangered and appears to be confined to rocky outcrops in the Atlantic Forest of Northern state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where two populations were found growing apart within the limits of Desengano State Park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ouratea (Ochnaceae) is a Neotropical radiation comprising about 300 species, some of which are ecologically dominant across South American biomes, yet they often remain unidentified among herbariumcollections. This work contributes to understanding the taxonomy of Ouratea by describing and illustrating the new species Ouratea dorata and O. gracilis from the remarkably biodiverse Atlantic Forest and highland savannas of the Chapada Diamantina, respectively, in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tovomita megantha, a new species presumably endemic to submontane Atlantic Forest in southern Bahia, Brazil is described, illustrated, and its diagnostic features compared to those of similar species. The new species belongs to the informal group Chrysochlamydifoliae. It differs from Tovomita choisyana and Tovomita longifolia by having much larger pedicels, flower buds, and floral diameters. The species here described is the tallest of the known species of Tovomita in the Atlantic Forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tovomita (Clusiaceae, tribe Clusieae) comprises about 45 species with Neotropical distribution. Thirty of these species occur in the Brazilian Amazon and Atlantic forest, but have only been poorly sampled in studies of pollen morphology. Pollen grains of ten species of Tovomita and one of Tovomitopsis are characterized and illustrated here and morphologically compared with those from other extant genera of Clusiaceae s.s., as well as the fossil genus Paleoclusia (which shares with Tovomita prolate triaperturate pollen grains with reticulate exines and sexine elements inside the lumina). The pollen grains of the analyzed species of Tovomita were found to be tricolporate, with amb circular to subtriangular, and exine psilate to microreticulate. Tovomita pollen differs markedly from Tovomitopsis in terms of the tectum surface, which is smooth with regular baculate in the former, versus irregular and not smooth, with some twisted baculate processes, in the latter. Other pollen features among species of Clusiaceae are discussed in order to better characterize Tovomita and help elucidate generic limits among related genera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Stephanopodium (Dichapetalaceae) from tabuleiro forests in southern Bahia is here described and illustrated. This species, named Stephanopodium gracile because of its slender habit, is compared to S. blanchetianum and S. organense. From these two species, S. gracile can be distinguished by the inflorescences on the apical portion of the leaf petiole, young branches with sparse short appressed trichomes, and glabrous leaves; from S. blanchetianum it differs also by leaf blades with an acuminate (vs. usually obtuse or rounded, and sometimes acute) apex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]