Two New Heterotypic Synonyms in Rotala (Lythraceae) from India

Abstract—The rediscovery of a carnivorous plant, Utricularia cutleri, in a seasonally flooded coastal plain in the Atlantic Forest domain, is here reported. This species was first described in 1952 with a few collections from that time, and since 1989 was considered a synonym of U. viscosa. Combined macro- and micromorphological evidence using SEM analysis is provided to propose its taxonomic reestablishment. Utricularia cutleri was originally known only from the type collection in Ceará state, and here we report two new records from Mato Grosso and Rio Grande do Norte states, in central-western and northeastern Brazil. Updated morphological description, geographic distribution, and conservation status are provided, as well as comparative discussion with U. viscosa. Moreover, an updated identification key to species of Lentibulariaceae from Rio Grande do Norte is also presented.

Melastomataceae comprises to 5,858 plant species across 173 genera globally. Brazil hosts the highest diversity for this family, including 1,453 species, with a great number of endemics. The Brazilian Caatinga is an important domain for Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests, Shrubs and Woodlands in South America, highlighting exceptional environmental diversity and hosting endemic and rare species. While the representation of Melastomataceae in the Caatinga is limited, the colonization of xeric environments by select species has garnered attention. One of these is Pleroma caatingae, a threatened species previously thought to be endemic to the state of Bahia, and recently collected in the Ceará state. This study provides an updated morphological description and uses a predictive Species Distribution Model (SDM) to predict potential species' distribution and conservation status. The findings not only enhance knowledge of neotropical species distribution patterns, but also highlight the importance of preserving overlooked arid habitats, such as the inselbergs, which harbor intriguing biodiversity as well.

Two species of the neotropical genus Microlicia are proposed as new (M. barretoana and M. longifolia), both of which occur only in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Additionally, Trembleya botaensis and T. purpurascens are recognized as new heterotypic synonyms under M. curralensis, for which an updated morphological description is presented. Comments on diagnostic features, distribution, habitat, phenology, and conservation status are provided for M. barretoana, M. curralensis and M. longifolia, as well as a distribution map for all of these species. Line drawings are provided for the new species.

A taxonomic revision of Fernandoa Welw. ex Seem. (Bignoniaceae) in Thailand is presented. Two species, F.adenophylla (Wall. ex G. Don) Steenis and F.collignonii (Dop) Steenis, are enumerated with updated morphological descriptions, illustrations and a taxonomic identification key, together with notes on distributions, distribution maps, habitats and ecology, phenology, conservation assessments, etymology, vernacular names, uses, and specimens examined. The collection of Wallich Cat. 6502A from Myanmar, Ava at G [G00133642] is designated here as the lectotype of F.adenophylla in a second step lectotypification. F.collignonii has a conservation status of Endangered [EN]. The leaf, stem, and wood anatomy and pollen morphology of F.adenophylla are also reported in this study.

In the course of a taxonomic revision of the genus Piptolepis (Vernonieae, Asteraceae), it became clear that P. pseudomyrtus, until now considered a synonym of P. buxoides, should be re-established. It differs from P. buxoides by its habit, leaf shape, number of florets per head, cypsela shape, and length of pappus series. An updated morphological description, geographic distribution, illustration and conservation status of P. pseudomyrtus are provided, as well as a comparative discussion with P. buxoides.

Roraimaea aurantiaca Struwe, S.Nilsson & V.A.Albert, a white-sand endemic species, was previously known from only two specimens collected in Roraima state, Brazil. Our new field collections and re-identified herbarium specimens expand this species’ distribution and include the first records from the Brazilian state of Amazonas. Based on this effort, we present a distribution map, preliminary conservation status of Endangered, the first photographs of living plants, and an updated morphological description. This study aggregates new information on the flora of the northern Amazon Basin, in addition to discussing conservation of R. aurantiaca. 

Ceropegia rudatisii Schlechter was first collected in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in 1903 but described in 1905 based on a second independent collection. This Ceropegia species was not seen again for a century and believed to be extinct. In 2020, however, two very small populations were discovered not far from the type locality. The subsequent examination of living flowering plants allowed an updated morphological description and, for the first time, illustration of C. rudatisii with photographs of living flowering plants and details thereof. We provide a comprehensive species description including novel aspects and details, i.e. bracts, inner corolla colouration, pollinarium and pollinia, as well as posture of corolla lobe tips of fresh flowers in situ—being not suberect-spreading, as given in earlier treatments, but flaccid-pendulous. The conservation status of C. rudatisii according to IUCN Red List criteria is furthermore discussed. Conservation measures are indispensable and urgent to avoid the extinction of C. rudatisii.

The classification of the digenean genus Gogatea Lutz, 1935 has been complicated for almost a century due to morphological variability and reliance on limited diagnostic traits. This study re-evaluates the taxonomic status of Gogatea serpentum (Gogate, 1932) and Gogatea burmanicus (Chatterji, 1940) using an integrative framework combining morphology and molecular phylogenetics. Trematodes were recovered from the gallbladder and intestine of the rainbow water snake (Enhydris enhydris) in southern Thailand. Morphological investigations included morphometrics, acetocarmine-stained preparations, scanning electron microscopy and multivariate analyses, while molecular analyses used mitochondrial COI and nuclear ITS2 and 28S rRNA markers. Both gonad-bearing and gonad-less individuals exhibited identical sequences across all markers, forming a strongly supported monophyletic group. Morphological variation was restricted to the presence or absence of gonads, with no separation detected by principal component analysis. These findings support the synonymization of G. burmanicus as a junior synonym of G. serpentum (following the original spelling by Gogate, 1932, as validated under the ICZN [International Code of Zoological Nomenclature]). The occurrence of gonad-less adults represents a biologically intriguing phenomenon, the causes of which remain unresolved but may involve developmental, host-related, or ecological factors. This study underscores the importance of combining molecular and morphological approaches for accurate delimitation of morphologically plastic digeneans. Updated morphological descriptions and molecular data for G. serpentum are provided, including morphometrics, staining profiles, scanning electron microscopy micrographs and genetic sequences. These findings refine the taxonomy of Gogatea, advance knowledge of helminth diversity in semi-aquatic snakes and support broader efforts in parasite systematics, host-parasite ecology and biodiversity monitoring in Southeast Asia.

Morphological descriptions, taxonomic history and distribution data of Omophoita species recorded for southern Brazil (states of Paran, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul) are presented. Through the analysis of the existing literature, databases, loaned material, and specimen collecting, we studied seven species of Omophoita recorded for southern Brazil: O. communis (Bechyn 1959), O. equestris (Fabricius 1787), O. magniguttis (Bechyn 1955), O. octoguttata (Fabricius 1775), O. personata (Illiger 1807), O. sesquilunata (Klug 1829), and O. sexnotata (Harold 1876). We report O. sesquilunata for this region for the first time. Updated morphological descriptions, including novel information for male and female genitalia are presented for those taxa with dissected specimens.

Neodiplostomum americanum Chandler and Rausch, 1947 has been reported from six species of owls in North America. At present, there are no molecular data for this species and gene sequence data from Neodiplostomum Railliet, 1919 are limited. A freshly deceased specimen of the Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus Gmelin, 1788 and a freshly deceased specimen of the Eastern Screech Owl Megascops asio Linnaeus, 1758 were collected in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Neodiplostomum americanum were recovered from both hosts. Herein, updated morphological descriptions are supplemented with gene sequence data from conserved (18S, ITS1-5.8S, ITS2, and 28S rRNA) and fast-evolving (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 mtDNA) regions. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis of the genus based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene sequence data supports the placement of N. americanum within a discrete phylogroup of the family Diplostomidae. The life history of N. americanum is unknown and currently limited to the description of the adult stage in avian hosts. The molecular data generated in this study offer insight into the phylogenetic placement of N. americanum within the Diplostomatidae and will aid in identifying different life stages in putative intermediate hosts.

The species described as Bacidia genuensis is transferred here to Bacidina as B. genuensis (Ramalinaceae, Lecanorales, lichenized Ascomycota). An updated morphological description is provided. The species is characterized by mostly blackish apothecia on a thick, microsquamulose thallus, a crystal-inspersed proper exciple that is mostly prosoplechtenchymatous, an ascus with a wide and dome-shaped axial body and an expanded c-layer (resulting in a thin, amyloid d-layer), a blue-green pigment in the epihymenium, proper exciple, and pycnidial wall, and an orange-brown, K+ intensifying pigment in the hypothecium and sometimes proper exciple. This combination of characters sets the species apart from its potentially close relatives Bacidina egenula and B. indigens, as well as the superficially similar, but more distantly related, Toniniopsis bagliettoana. Bacidina genuensis is currently known from a few sites in northern Italy, where it inhabits weathered and apparently shaded mortar of masonry.

This taxonomic treatment is the first in the genus Calycera based on a detailed study of morphology and a critical analysis of species boundaries. In this revision, nine species and four varieties are recognized, one new combination (C. crassifolia var. spinulosa), nine new synonymies (Anomocarpus axillaris, Boopis integrifolia, Calycera boopidea, C. crenata, C. foliosa, C. intermedia, C. pulvinata f. cauligera, C. squarrosa, and Gymnocaulus viridiflorus), six new lectotypifications (for Anomocarpus, Boopis gracilis, Calycera crenata, C. pulvinata f. cauligera, C. sessiliflora, and C. sympaganthera), and one neotypification (for Calycera involucrata) are established. Updated morphological descriptions (including an emended description of C. herbacea var. sinuata) and geographical distributions are included for each species. Analyses of their life forms and inflorescence, flower, and fruit morphology are presented.

Phlomoides iliensis, P. dshungarica and P. rotala, previously known only from Kazakhstan, are newly recorded in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses using eight plastid DNA markers (atpB-rbcL, psbA-trnH, rpl16, rpl32-trnL, rps16, trnK, trnL-trnF, trnT-trnL) revealed that these three species are nested within Clade VI, with their relationships to similar or allied species discussed. This study increases the total number of Phlomoides species in China to 64. In addition, diagnostic characters, updated morphological descriptions, detailed illustrations, and a key that encompasses all 16 Phlomoides species found in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region are provided.

Garcinia section Xanthochymus (Clusiaceae) is revised for Thailand with four native species, i.e., G. dulcis, G. nervosa, G. prainiana, and G. xanthochymus. All species are described with updated morphological descriptions, illustrations, and an identification key, together with notes on distributions, distribution maps, habitats and ecology, phenology, conservation assessments, etymology, vernacular names, uses, and specimens examined. Four taxa, G. andamanica, G. andamanica var. pubescens, G. cambodgiensis and G. vilersiana, are synonymized under G. dulcis, and two taxa, G. nervosa var. pubescens and G. spectabilis, are newly synonymized under G. nervosa. Nine names are lectotypified: G. dulcis and its associated synonyms (G. cambodgiensis and G. vilersiana), G. nervosa and its associated synonyms (G. andersonii, G. nervosa var. pubescens, and G. spectabilis), G. prainiana, and G. xanthochymus. All species have a conservation assessment of Least Concern (LC). The fruits of all species are edible and have a sour or sweet-sour taste.

The oligotypic Irano-Turanian mustard genus Spryginia (Brassicaceae, Euclidieae) is revised in Iran and Afghanistan. Species composition and distribution within the region are clarified. Unlike previously believed, the genus includes two (not one) species in the studied area. Both S. afghanica and S. winkleri are distributed in Afghanistan while only the latter species occurs in Iran representing the first record of the genus for the country. Updated morphological descriptions, data on type specimens, ecology, phenology, and distribution map of both species within the studied area are provided. Spryginia winkleri is illustrated based on Iranian material. A modified generic key is also presented.