Antirhea Aromatica (Rubiaceae, Guettardeae), A New Species from Veracruz, Mexico

Abstract

A new species of Rubiaceae, Antirhea aromatica Castillo-Campos & Lorence, is described from central Veracruz, Mexico. A tree of the tropical semideciduous forest, it appears to be very localized in distribution and is the first record of the genus for Veracruz. Its distribution, habitat, and affinities are discussed, and specimen citations are given. During the course of studies on Mexican Ru- biaceae and on the vegetation around Jalcomulco in central Veracruz, several collections were en- countered which represent an undescribed species of Antirhea of the tribe Guettardeae. Members of the Guettardeae are characterized by having a two- to many-locular ovary in which each loc- ule has a single anatropous ovule, a corolla with the stamens inserted in the throat, and a usually cymose inflorescence. Antirhea Comm. ex A. L. Juss. is distinguishable from the other neotrop- ical genera in the tribe by the following combi- nation of characters: an axillary, usually dichot- omous, cymose inflorescence, a corolla with strongly imbricate lobes, one or two of them being exterior, included anthers, and a drupaceous fruit with two to nine cells and a deciduous calyx