DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.145707

Authors: María Guadalupe Maldonado-Borja, Rosa Cerros-Tlatilpa

Abstract: Background and aims – Struthanthus is a neotropical genus with 60 to 70 species, distributed from northern Mexico to Argentina. Eighteen species are reported in Mexico. During fieldwork to investigate Struthanthus in Mexico, a new species was collected in the state of Guerrero. We present a full description, distribution map, illustrations, and photographs of an unusual new Struthanthus species endemic to Guerrero, Mexico. Material and methods – This study is based on fieldwork, literature revision, and examination of herbarium material. Collected specimens were prepared for storage in the herbarium, analysed, measured, described, and photographed. Preliminary conservation assessment is based on spatial analyses following IUCN guidelines and criteria. Key results – We propose a new species of Struthanthus for Guerrero, Mexico, S. longipetiolatus. This species is only known from cloud forests, oak-pine forests, and oak forests in the province of Sierra Madre del Sur, in the state of Guerrero. A distribution map and an identification key are provided for S. longipetiolatus and its morphologically similar congeners in the region. Conclusion – The newly described species increases the number of Struthanthus species in Mexico to 19 and the number of endemic species to nine. This discovery underlines the need for continued botanical inventories and research on parasitic plants.

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DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.127900

Authors: Jhon S. Murillo-Serna, Isabel Carmona-Gallego, Francisco J. Roldán, Julio A. Sierra-Giraldo, Fernando Alzate-Guarín

Abstract: Background and aims – Ongoing studies on Colombian mistletoes revealed an undescribed species of Maracanthus (Loranthaceae) endemic to the Colombian Eastern Cordillera (Cordillera Oriental). This species is described and illustrated here, and a checklist of the species accepted in Maracanthus is also provided, including a taxonomic key, references to the known iconography of the genus, and taxonomic and geographic comments. Material and methods – This study is based on a literature review according to the International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants, examination of herbarium specimens using physical specimens and digital images, and morphological studies based on samples from dried and rehydrated specimens. Key results – A detailed morphological analysis revealed that the new species is part of the little-known genus Maracanthus. The dichotomous key, as well as the taxonomic and geographic notes, allow users to recognise the five known species in this genus, showing that they occur in restricted distribution areas.

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DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.85017

Authors: Salvator Ntore, Franck Theeten, Jacques Nkengurutse, Joël Ndayishimiye, Marc S. M. Sosef

Abstract: Background and aims – The vascular plant diversity of Burundi is still insufficiently explored, described, and understood. The goal of this paper is to show the degree of botanical exploration and the spatial patterns of botanical diversity in Burundi to date. Material and methods – The study is based on a dataset containing virtually all plant collections, observed in herbaria, recorded in databases, or cited in literature, made in Burundi. All data were compiled, cleaned, and each record georeferenced. Various distribution analyses were carried out, some of which were based on a grid of 199 hexagonal cells. Key results – The dataset comprises 37,200 herbarium collections representing 3,860 species grouped in 1,290 genera and 216 families. The expected species richness is estimated at 4,869. The average number of collections per species is 8.8, but 1,149 species (27%) are sampled only once. The seven most species-rich families are Fabaceae (539 spp.), Poaceae (387), Asteraceae (298), Orchidaceae (286), Cyperaceae (272), Rubiaceae (227), and Acanthaceae (128), which together account for over 50% of the vascular plant flora of Burundi. The seven largest genera are Cyperus (90 spp.), Crotalaria (60), Indigofera (50), Polystachya (48), Habenaria (47), Vernonia (45), and Eragrostis (41). In terms of number of herbarium collections, the six most important families are Poaceae (4,754 collections), Fabaceae (4,300), Asteraceae (2,226), Rubiaceae (2,191), Cyperaceae (1,730), and Lamiaceae (1,275). The four areas most intensively explored and with the highest known species diversity are the Rusizi plain, the Kibira rain forest belonging to the Albertine Rift, the Bururi and Rumonge areas in the west, and the Mosso depression in the east. Conclusion – With a collecting index of 133 collections per 100 km2, the botanical exploration of Burundi can be considered as relatively good. However, 28% of the species are only represented by a single record and some 1,000 species are potentially present but have remained uncollected to date. For every 100 new collections, there are on average 6 new species records, indicating that Burundi’s inventory is still not complete.

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DOI: 10.5091/plecevo.2020.1682

Authors: Colleen Friday, John Scasta

Abstract: Background and aims – Native American reservations in the United States provide biodiversity critical for conservation and ecosystem functions. Unfortunately, botanical inventories are less common for reservations than other land jurisdictions. Such ecological importance and needs are apparent for the Wind River Indian Reservation (WRIR), the 7th largest reservation in the US (>890,000 ha) that is shared by the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho.Material and methods – A botanical study for two WRIR high-elevation basins (Saint Lawrence Basin (SLB) and Paradise Basin (PB)) to (1) reconcile a 1960 plant list, and (2) quantify plant communities ecologically was conducted. In 2017, 106 monitoring sites were established to quantify species presence. Across basins, 231 total vascular plant taxa (221 to species and 10 to genus) were identified, or > 3× more plant species than noted in the 1960 list. In SLB, 222 plant taxa (213 to species and 9 to genus) were identified and in PB 98 plant taxa (90 to species and 8 to genus) were identified. In 2018, sites were re-sampled to quantify species abundance, soil pH, organic matter, soil nutrients, CEC, salts, and texture. Key results – Slope and elevation explained species distributions in the topography ordination and soil organic matter, pH, texture, P, and K explained species distributions in the soil ordination. Eleven exotic species, and one rare endemic species were documented with implications for empowering tribal management. Using a classification approach followed by an indicator species analysis and fidelity (Phi) assessment, we identified 14 unique plant communities and related these to 6 alliances and 7 associations across 6 macrogroups from the US National Vegetation Classification database. These indicator species of communities included sedges (Carex aquatilus), grasses (Pseudoroegneria spicata, Elymus elymoides, Achnatherum lettermanii, Elymus trachycaulus subsp. trachycaulus, Poa glauca subsp. rupicola), forbs (Polygonum bistortoides, Balsamorhiza incana, Castilleja flava), shrubs (Artemisia tridentata, Betula glandulosa, Dasiphora fruticosa subsp. floribunda) and trees (Pinus contorta).Conclusion – The plant taxa, plant communities, and ecological drivers documented in this study will enhance tribal and federal monitoring of these high-elevation WRIR basins.

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