BIOGEOGRAPHICAL STUDIES OF VENEZUELAN SPECIES OF STYLOSANTHES (LEGUMINOSAE)

Stylosanthes is a mainly Neotropical genus comprising ca. 25 species with Venezuela hosting high species richness. Despite of the economic importance of some species as forage legumes, the biogeography of Stylosanthes in Venezuela has hitherto been poorly studied. Information of herbarium specimens and germplasm accessions was collated in order to assess distribution, range size, geographic species richness and rarity in the country. Stylosanthes guianensis has the widest geographical distribution and the largest range size. The highest species richness occurs in the eastern plains (“Llanos”) (7-10° N, 62-65° W). The endemic S. sericeiceps and S. venezuelensis fall within the rarest category. This study contributes to better understand the pattern of biogeographical variation of Venezuelan Stylosanthes species, and can help to design conservation strategies

Lectotypification of Stylosanthes hispida (Leguminosae)

Peer Revie

UNA NUEVA ESPECIE VENEZOLANA DE STYLOSANTHES (LEGUMINOSAE: PAPILIONOIDEAE: DALBERGIEAE)

RESUMENSe describe e ilustra una nueva especie de leguminosa de Venezuela, Stylosanthes venezuelensisCalles et Schultze-Kr., proveniente de los alrededores de Caracas. Se indican lasdiferencias entre este nuevo taxon y S. scabraVogel, especie con la cual está cercanamenterelacionada.ABSTRACTA new Venezuelan species of Leguminosae, Stylosanthes venezuelensis Calles etSchultze-Kr., collected in Caracas, is described and illustrated. The differences between thenew taxon and S. scabraVogel, a closely related species, are indicated

Nomenclatural reappraisal of the Macroptilium gracile (Leguminosae) species complex

The controversy regarding the status of the Macroptilium gracile species complex has been elucidated by the authors of this paper; nevertheless, some nomenclatural issues regarding the naming of the newly established variety have been found. In the present contribution, we discuss some nomenclatural aspects concerning the valid publication of the name Macroptilium gracile var. subcoriaceum (Benth.) Berlingeri, M.B.Crespo & Calles. After considering different nomenclatural evidence, the latter varietal name is to be considered superfluous and therefore, we establish a new combination (i.e., Macroptilium gracile var. longepedunculatum).Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature

BIOGEOGRAPHICAL STUDIES OF VENEZUELAN SPECIES OF STYLOSANTHES (LEGUMINOSAE)

Stylosanthes is a mainly Neotropical genus comprising ca. 25 species with Venezuela hosting high species richness. Despite of the economic importance of some species as forage legumes, the biogeography of Stylosanthes in Venezuela has hitherto been poorly studied. Information of herbarium specimens and germplasm accessions was collated in order to assess distribution, range size, geographic species richness and rarity in the country. Stylosanthes guianensis has the widest geographical distribution and the largest range size. The highest species richness occurs in the eastern plains (“Llanos”) (7-10° N, 62-65° W). The endemic S. sericeiceps and S. venezuelensis fall within the rarest category. This study contributes to better understand the pattern of biogeographical variation of Venezuelan Stylosanthes species, and can help to design conservation strategies

The Macroptilium gracile species complex (Fabaceae, Papilionoideae): an integrative taxonomic study based on morphological, molecular and ecological data

Macroptilium gracile (Phaseolinae, Fabaceae) sensu lato is an extremely diverse species distributed from Mexico to Argentina. The taxonomic and nomenclatural history of the species is confusing, due to existing contrasting treatments. All 15 names corresponding to 12 taxa that have often been considered akin to M. gracile were selected here to clarify the identity of this taxonomic aggregate, using morphological, molecular and biogeographical analyses. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses (nMDS and cluster) of 67 morphological traits were performed on a sample of 109 herbarium sheets. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference analyses were conducted using plastid (rpl32-trnL(UAG), trnK-matK-trnK) and nuclear (ITS/5.8S) DNA sequence data on a sample of 31 accessions belonging to taxa of the M. gracile complex and other Macroptilium spp., using three members of related genera (Phaseolus and Vigna) as outgroups. A database with plant locations per taxa was used to elaborate a distribution map, and the potential habitats were estimated through nMDS analysis. Our morphological, molecular and biogeographic results suggest that members of the M. gracile complex belong to three taxonomic entities, for which a new arrangement is proposed accepting Macroptilium gracile (with two varieties) and M. campestre, including two new nomenclatural combinations (M. gracile var. subcoriaceum and M. campestre). Types for all cited names are indicated where available (with a new lectotype designation). Morphological, ecological and distributional data are reported for each accepted taxon