We describe a new species, Hydnora visseri (Hydnoraceae), a holoparasitic perennial species from the Karas Region of Namibia and the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. The new species is a distinct segregate of Hydnora africana and is restricted to transitional and winter rainfall areas of southern Namibia and northwestern South Africa. Hydnora visseri only occurs with H. africana in sympatry in a narrow geographical band where their respective host species occur together. Distinctly longer tepal lobes and the largest flower metrics in the section Euhydnora distinguish H. visseri from H. africana and Hydnora longicollis. At one known site where H. africana and H. visseri occur in sympatry, differences in flowering phenology and host preference appear to reinforce species boundaries.

Galeoglossum cactorum , a new species of Orchidaceae from the Mixteca Alta region in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, is described and illustrated. The new species is florally similar to G. thysanochilum but differs from it in the linear-oblanceolate leaves subtended by imbricating, dark brown cataphylls, presence of a papillose thickening near the base of the labellum, proportionately shorter, obtrapezoid column with lateral laminar wings and complete fusion of the filament, and prominent apicule of the rostellum remnant. A cladistic parsimony analysis of DNA sequences of nuclear ITS region and plastid matK-trnK region showed that the three currently recognized species of Galeoglossum form a monophyletic group, which is sister to Prescottia. Galeoglossum cactorum is known from a single locality in an unusual habitat for orchids, i.e. a xerophilous scrub dominated by columnar cacti of the genus Neobuxbaumia, whereas both G. thysanochilum and G. tubulosum dwell in oak- and pine-oak forest.

The Commelinaceae are a pantropical family of monocotyledonous herbs. Previous phylogenies in Commelinaceae have emphasized sampling among genera. We extended this previous work by sampling multiple species within some of the largest genera of Commelinaceae (especially Commelina and Tradescantia, and also including Callisia, Cyanotis, Gibasis, and Murdannia), and by sequencing noncoding regions both of the nuclear ribosomal DNA region, 5S NTS, and the chloroplast region, trnL-trnF. We generated a phylogenetic hypothesis for 68 Commelinaceae that partially tests previous morphological, taxonomic classifications. We found little evidence for conflict between nuclear and chloroplast regions for Tradescantia, Murdannia, and Callisia, and some evidence for conflict between the two regions for Commelina, though conflicting regions of the phylogeny were only weakly supported by bootstrap analyses. We found subtribe Tradescantieae to be paraphyletic, consistent with an rbcL study, though with a different topology than that produced by rbcL. In addition, subtribe Commelineae was monophyletic with strong support. We found Callisia to be polyphyletic, consistent with some previous molecular phylogenetic studies, and we found Tradescantia, Gibasis, Cyanotis, Commelina, and Murdannia, to be monophyletic. The molecular phylogenies presented here generally supported previous taxonomic classifications.

The Marantaceae (∼530 spp.) are one of the most species rich families within the order Zingiberales which incites the search for evolutionary factors favoring speciation. A positive influence on their divergence is ascribed to their unique explosive pollination mechanism which has been proposed to be a key innovation. To test this hypothesis phylogenies of the two major African clades (Sarcophrynium and the Marantochloa clade) were established based on data from nuclear (ITS, 5S) and chloroplast (trnL/trnL-F) DNA for an almost complete taxon sample. The phylogeny was used to parsimoniously reconstruct morphological and ecological traits and geographic distribution patterns. The resulting molecular relationships of the genera are congruent with the existing family phylogeny. As in previous studies the species Ataenidia conferta is nested within Marantochloa so that a new circumscription of Marantochloa is proposed leading to the new name Marantochloa conferta. Hybridization events, adaptation to different pollinators, and Pleistocene climatic fluctuations are hypothesized evolutionary factors fostering speciation in the African clades. The explosive pollination mechanism might have played an important role in optimizing the mating system but did certainly not force speciation directly through mechanisms of reproductive isolation.

The Vriesea corcovadensis (section Vriesea) group consists of 11 species occurring exclusively in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. This group is defined by the presence of polystichous and distichous flowers, utriculiform rosettes, presence of stolons, and linear-triangular leaf blades with a maximum width of 1.5 cm. We present a taxonomic revision based on observation of herbarium material and living specimens. We provide the geographical distribution, etymology, phenology, and morphological illustrations of the species, in addition to new and detailed taxonomic descriptions and a key for their identification. We describe V. microrachis and V. rubens and a neotype for V. rectifolia is designated. The circumscription of V. triangularis remains doubtful until additional material is available for study.

Atractantha shepherdiana, a new species of woody bamboo from Brazil, is here described and illustrated, and an identification key based on vegetative characters for all the species of the genus is provided. In its vegetative state, the new species resembles Atractantha amazonica by having culms with a small central lumen. The new species differs from A. amazonica mainly because of the occurrence of tomentose-velvety ochre trichomes on the upper and lower portions of young internodes, pseudopetiolate blades of the culm leaves that are initially erect and later reflexed, and by the girdle with hirtellous-hispid dark-brown trichomes.

Previous molecular and morphological phylogenetic analyses, character-based analysis and ecological niche modeling identified seven monophyletic groups formed by populations of Otatea, a Neotropical woody bamboo genus belonging to subtribe Guaduinae. Thus the genus comprises at present seven species, four of them new to science. These four new Mesoamerican species are here described and illustrated: Otatea carrilloi from Chiapas, O. ximenae from Oaxaca, O. reynosoana from the Pacific slopes of Guerrero, Jalisco and Nayarit and O. transvolcanica from the Transmexican Volcanic Belt. A comprehensive taxonomic revision of the genus Otatea is presented based on collections for this project and on herbarium specimens.

We describe in detail the foliar architecture of extant Nelumbo and propose a new genus, Exnelumbites Estrada-Ruiz, Upchurch, Wolfe & Cevallos-Ferriz, for recently discovered leaf macrofossils from the Upper Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian) Olmos Formation of Coahuila, Mexico and Jose Creek Member of the McRae Formation of south-central New Mexico, U. S. A. The fossils described here consist of centrally peltate leaves with 12–13 actinodromous primary veins that terminate in broad glandular teeth of the chloranthoid type. No secondary veins are present on the midvein, and tertiary veins are organized in an alternate percurrent to reticulate pattern. Areolation is of variable shape with four to six sides. The fossil leaves are placed within Nelumbonaceae on the basis of their orbicular shape and centrally peltate organization, the presence of a funnel-form lamina, and especially the absence of secondary venation along the midvein, but are interpreted to be more primitive than extant Nelumbo in having no central disk, a smaller number of primary veins, less highly organized tertiary venation, and predominantly non-hexagonal areolation. The presence of chloranthoid teeth in the fossils is consistent with suggestions that the chloranthoid tooth type is basal to both Proteales and eudicots as a whole. The newly described leaves add to a growing diversity of plant macrofossils from the Cretaceous that are more closely related to Nelumbo than any other extant genus, but are more primitive in their vegetative and reproductive morphology.

The genus Lespedeza (Fabaceae) contains about 41 species distributed disjunctly in East Asia and North America. The pollen morphology of 46 samples representing 39 species of Lespedeza and three species of the two most closely related genera from China, Japan, and America was examined with both a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope. Pollen morphology in Lespedeza is diverse in germination organs and exine sculptures. The germination organs in Lespedeza can be divided into three types based mainly on the size of the colpi and the morphology of ora. Most species in subgen. Lespedeza have either type II or III germination organs and species in subgen. Macrolespedeza have only type I or II germination organs. The pollen morphology in Lespedeza is stable at the infraspecific level. The pollen data support the division of Lespedeza into two subgenera. In detail, the polar axes in subgen. Macrolespedeza (18.94–23.07 µm long) and are normally shorter than those in subgen. Lespedeza (25.04–32.11 µm long). The pollen morphology provided insights into the systematics of some taxonomically difficult species complexes such as the L. caraganae, L. juncea, and L. inschanica complex and the L. pubescens, L. viatorum, and L. wilfordii complex and the species pairs L. floribunda and L. mucronata and L. angustifolia and L. leptostachya. A key to the species of Lespedeza is given based on pollen morphology.

The perennial lupines of western North America, previously suggested to be monophyletic, comprise an apparently rapid and recent species radiation concentrated in the California Floristic Province. The Lupinus albifrons species complex consists of a number of closely related yet morphologically variable taxa within the larger group of perennial lupines. We used sequence data from two rapidly evolving noncoding chloroplast regions to analyze relationships in the perennial lupines, with special emphasis on the Lupinus albifrons species complex. Sampling from throughout the ranges of species thought to be closely related to Lupinus albifrons, we found that this group is characterized by high genetic diversity not only between species, but also within species and even within populations. The results of this study call into question the monophyly of the western North American perennials. Only two taxa clearly emerge as deserving recognition at the species or subspecies level based on the molecular data: Lupinus paynei from Simi Valley, California, and Lupinus excubitus from eastern California and the San Gabriel Mountains. Although some taxonomic conclusions can be extrapolated from this study, overall, these results warn against undersampling in phylogenetic studies of recently evolved groups.

Taxonomic studies in the genus Lessertia have revealed that L. rigida represents a mixed species concept comprising two distinctly different elements. The specific epithet is linked to a largely overlooked type specimen collected by Carl Thunberg in the Cape of South Africa during the latter part of the eighteenth century which represents one element of the mixed species concept. Due to nomenclatural priority and correct application of the name, the description of a new species is necessary to accommodate the second element included in the mixed species concept. This paper aims to clarify the identity of L. rigida and to describe the new species meyeri.

Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on numerous plant accessions have shown that Cucumis comprises 25 species in Asia, the Malesian region, and Australia, rather than just two as traditionally thought. Among the 25 species several are new, and here we describe four from tropical Australia. The new species C. costatus, C. queenslandicus, C. umbellatus, and C. variabilis are illustrated, their distributions are mapped based on 7–50 collections per species, and information is provided on habitats and conservation status. We also validate C. althaeoides comb. nov. and C. argenteus comb. nov., update the description of C. picrocarpus, and provide a key to the 11 native and naturalized species of Cucumis occurring in Australia and eastern Malesia. The Australasian species diversity of Cucumis, a genus that until recently was held to be essentially African, is of interest also because Australia harbours the sister species to the commercially important melon, C. melo.

The monophyly of the genus Rhodomyrtus (Myrtaceae) was tested using data from morphology and the nuclear ribosomal ITS regions (ITS-1, ITS-2) and 5.8S gene. Representative species from baccate genera hypothesized to be closely related to Rhodomyrtus were included, such as Archirhodomyrtus, Octamyrtus, Knnakomyrtus, and some genera believed to be more distantly related, including Rhodamnia, Decaspermum, Pilidiostigma, and Myrtastrum. Up to four capsular-fruited outgroup species were used to root the trees (Heteropyxis natalensis, Carpolepis tardiflora, Lophostemon confertus, and Metrosideros rotundifolia). Morphological data using neighbor joining scattered species of Rhodomyrtus across several branches but generally recovered genera other than Rhodomyrtus. Using parsimony, the morphological data analysis also rejected the monophyly of Rhodomyrtus and resulted in consensus trees with relatively low resolution and bootstrap support. Based on traditionally recognized generic boundaries, results from DNA sequence data (parsimony, Bayesian analysis) rejected the hypothesized monophyly of Rhodomyrtus and typically dispersed species of Rhodomyrtus irregularly into two relatively large branches designated as Clades A and B. Species other than Rhodomyrtus contained in either Clade A or B from the molecular results were some, but not all, members of Archirhodomyrtus, Octamyrtus, and Knnakomyrtus. Partition tests indicated that phylogenies based on morphological characters differed significantly from those based on molecular data so a combined analysis was not conducted. DNA sequence variation ranged from no variation among sequences within a species up to 61 base pair differences plus four 1 or 2 bp gaps between Rhodomyrtus misimana and R. mcmtana. Although results from morphological and molecular analyses reject the hypothesis that Rhodomyrtus is monophyletic, additional data are needed before Rhodomyrtus can be split confidently into demonstrably monophyletic genera.

As presently circumscribed, Plagianthus includes two morphologically distinct species that are endemic to New Zealand. Plagianthus divaricatus, a divaricate shrub, is a dominant species in coastal saline shrub communities, whereas P. regius is a tree of lowland and montane forests. Results from independent analyses of ITS and 5′ trnK/matK sequences are congruent, and when combined provide a robust framework to study character evolution. Our findings suggest the ancestor of Plagianthus originated in Australia where the sister genera Asterotrichion and Gynatrix are presently distributed. The stem age of Plagianthus was estimated at 7.3 (4.0–14.0) million years ago (Ma) and the crown radiation at 3.9 (1.9–8.2) Ma. Most of the characters optimized onto the molecular phylogeny were shared with source lineages from Australia and shown to be plesiomorphic. Only the divaricate branching pattern characteristic of Plagianthus divaricatus was acquired after the lineage became established in New Zealand and shown to be apomorphic. The initial Plagianthus founders were shrubs or small trees with deciduous leaves and small inconspicuous dioecious flowers. Juvenile vegetative morphology and sexual maturation are decoupled in Plagianthus; heteroblastic vegetative development is well documented in Plagianthus and close relatives.

Pavonia secreta (Malvaceae) is a new species from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This new species belongs to subgenus Pavonia and is related to P. xanthogloea. Pavonia secreta can be distinguished by the absence of a tuft of long and simple trichomes at the apex of the petiole and on the abaxial side of the leaf, and by paler foliage; it presents dark pink flowers, with larger petals and stem tube; has larger mericarps, which are tuberculate-rugose with 2–3 tubercules on each side. Pavonia secreta is an endemic species restricted to Pedra do Segredo, Morro do Leão and a neighbouring hill, localities that belong to Caçapava do Sul municipality, in southern Brazil. We present a morphological description, illustrations, and ecological data, as well as a key including a morphologically similar species.

Langsdorffia heterotepala (Balanophoraceae) is described and illustrated. It is the second Neotropical species recognized within the genus. The species can be distinguished by the following primary features: a concave male inflorescence, ovate-elliptic dorsal tepal and oblong lateral tepals in male flowers, Y-shaped connective, and style length < 0.4 mm. Thus far, the new species is known only from the cloud forests of the Itatiaia National Park in southeastern Brazil, a region well known for its high species richness and endemism. A key to the four known species of Langsdorffia is provided.

The genus Impatiens (Balsaminaceae) is one of the most difficult genera for making effective herbarium specimens because of its tender and complicated flowers. The preparation of flowers is always one of the most important steps in the collections of Impatiens. The present paper demonstrates a method to prepare flowering specimens of Impatiens in the field. Examples include three new species collected from the Sino-Vietnamese border, viz. Impatiens aconitoides, I. purpureifolia, and I. rugata. The related species I. laojunshanensis, I. apalophylla, and I. clavigera are also sampled using the same preparation method. As to the three new species, their pollen grains and seeds were observed by scanning electron microscopy. Impatiens aconitoides has 4-colpate pollen grains and ovoid seeds with protrusivetype of seed coat, whereas I. purpureifolia and I. rugata have 3-colpate grains and ellipsoidal seeds with reticulate-typed seed coat. Such an integrated approach to include detailed floral characters as well as pollen and seed characters is proposed when new taxa of Impatiens are described.

Recent fieldwork in Gabon yielded material of a previously unknown Impatiens species that resembles Impatiens kamerunensis and I. oumina. Molecular analyses based on ImpDEF1, ImpDEF2 and ITS in combination with a thorough comparative morphological study confirmed the status of the newly collected material. It is phylogenetically positioned within the West-African Impatiens clade. Impatiens nzabiana can be distinguished from I. kamerunensis in having a narrowly lanceolate leaf shape, a 7–7.5 mm long appendage on the lower lateral petal and the presence of 3–8 mm long fimbriae at the leaf base. Molecular data strongly support a sister group relationship with I. oumina, whereas both I. nzabiana and I. oumina are sister to I. kamerunensis. Impatiens oumina is similar to I. nzabiana by the presence of long fimbriae near the base of the leaf and simple or sparsely branched stems, but can be easily distinguished from the new species by the narrowly ovate leaf shape, the smaller size of both the plants and the flowers, the subumbellate racemes, the pinkish-white corollas and the white spur sepals. By calculating age estimates and investigating the biogeography of I. nzabiana and its closest relatives, we have been able to hypothesize the evolutionary history of the new species.

Historically, three varieties or subspecies were recognized within Eriastrum eremicum; these were distinguished by characters such as the number of leaf lobes, the length of the corolla, and the corolla symmetry. This study used traditional multivariate analysis along with spatial and geostatistical analyses of morphometric data to scan for geographic trends in these morphological characters. In addition to the typical form of E. eremicum in the Mojave Desert of California, both multivariate and spatial statistics revealed a distinct group of populations in southwest Utah, and another group in southern Arizona. These results suggest that there are some geographic clusters of similar plant morphology within this species, and that three subspecies should be recognized. Plants from southwest Utah are here placed in Eriastrum eremicum subsp. zionis comb. nov., and plants from Arizona are recognized as Eriastrum eremicum subsp. yageri (M. E. Jones) H. L. Mason.

A new species, Utricularia densiflora, from the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado) is described and illustrated. This species was found growing at the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, and is distinguished from the other species in the genus by the presence of several rudimentary (or dormant) floral buds, sessile glands in the peduncle, and highly congested inflorescence. Utricularia densiflora is here considered a member of section Oligocista and is morphologically similar to U. erectiflora and U. meyeri. A key of the Utricularia species inhabiting the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park is provided.

Tragopogon dubius is one of the most widespread species of Tragopogon, extending across much of Eurasia. Traditionally, T. dubius has been considered a morphologically homogeneous species that includes all Tragopogon collections with yellow flowers and swollen peduncles under capitula. Here we describe a new species of Tragopogon from the Iberian Peninsula, T. lainzii, which has heretofore been included in T. dubius. To this end, we performed comparative morphological, cytogenetic, and molecular analyses on many populations of both species. Our results show that T. dubius is not a homogeneous species and that different lineages exist across its broad geographic distribution. Moreover, we show that hybridization has occurred in the wild between sympatric populations of T. dubius, T. lainzii, and T. porrifolius.

Polymnia johnbeckii, a new, narrowly endemic species, is distinct in its combination of highly dissected leaves, hirsute herbage, and relatively large, showy heads. It is known from two populations in Marion County, Tennessee, and should be considered a rare species at both the state and federal level. A chromosome count indicates that P. johnbeckii is diploid. Although standard cladogenesis is the null hypothesis for the origin of this diploid species, evidence supporting an alternative scenario of homoploid hybrid speciation is discussed.

Kuramosciadium corydalifolium, a new genus and species of Umbelliferae (Apiaceae) from the Kurama Ridge (Western Tian Shan Mountains) in Uzbekistan is described and illustrated. The new taxon is not closely related to any other genus in the flora of Middle Asia or adjacent countries. The analyses of fruit morphology and anatomy and nrDNA ITS sequence data reveal a distant affinity to Ligusticum s. l. and Cnidium s. l. and their allies in the traditional family classifications. In particular, Kuramosciadium is most similar to Sphaenolobium, Paulita, and Seselopsis. The new genus differs from its morphologically closest relative, Sphaenolobium, in its monocarpic life-form, unbranched rootstock, bipinnate leaves with almost sessile segments, brownish (not light yellow) petals, distinctly unequal umbel rays, narrow mericarp commissure, and winged dorsal ribs of mericarps. Kuramosciadium corydalifolium appears to be a rare, narrowly endemic, and its natural populations need protection.

A high degree of morphological variability exists within Lomatium (biscuitroots, Apiaceae). This variability has led to conflicting opinions regarding relationships of white-flowered Lomatium specimens from southern Idaho and Oregon allied to L. nevadense and L. foeniculaceum. An initial morphological study, using morphometric analysis and phenetic classification techniques, suggested that these anomalous specimens, generally referred to as L. ravenii, were more closely related to L. foeniculaceum than to L. nevadense. Phylogenetic analyses using the rps16 intron, ITS, and rpl32-trnL_UAG placed five populations of the anomalous individuals within a clade including L. ravenii and the three varieties of L. foeniculaceum from our region. However, two populations collected from Succor Creek in southeastern Oregon clustered independently of L. ravenii, suggesting a new cryptic species. Subsequent morphological analyses revealed differences in morphology between L. ravenii and the Succor Creek populations. We propose a new Succor Creek endemic species, L. bentonitum.

A taxonomic revision of the Annesorhiza triternata group is presented. The group is composed of seven species all endemic to the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa. Two of the species had previously been assigned to the genus Peucedanum, as P.filicauk and P. triternatum, based on the marginally winged and dorsally ribbed homomericarpic fruits. They are here transferred to the genus Annesorhiza based on the periodically replaced fleshy roots, hysteranthous leaves, and fruits that have an oblong, more or less isodiametric body, a narrow commissure, and druse crystals scattered throughout the mesocarp. In addition, five new species clearly allied to A.filicaulis and A. triternata are described herein, viz. A. bracteosa, A. elsiae, A. laticostata, A. radiata, and A. refracta. The group is distinguished from other species in the genus by less sturdy synflorescences, ternate leaves with linear ultimate leaflets (except A. refracta), distinctly branched resin ducts in the petals (except A. filicaulis, A. laticostata and A. radiata), and mericarps with marginal wings and dorsal ribs (except A. elsiae). A comprehensive key to the seven species is provided together with an updated taxonomy with detailed morphological descriptions, a lectotypification, diagnostic illustrations, and maps of known geographical distributions.