Search for: All records

Since its original publication in 1789, Vaccinium virgatum has been treated by most authors as an accepted species in V. sect. Cyanococcus. In the latest comprehensive taxonomic treatment of the section, however, it is treated as a synonym of the broadly circumscribed species V. corymbosum. Here we use a combination of morphology, ploidy assessment with flow cytometry, and previously published phylogenomic analysis based on high-throughput DNA sequencing to support the taxonomic status of V. virgatum as a species to be recognized. As circumscribed here, V. virgatum occurs in the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain from Arkansas, Texas, and southeastern Oklahoma to northeastern Florida and southeastern North Carolina. An updated taxonomic treatment of the species, including an expanded description, distribution map by county, and a representative list of specimens examined by county is included. We provide a means of distinguishing V. virgatum from V. ashei, a similar species recently also segregated from V. corymbosum, and from presumed rabbiteye blueberry escapes from cultivation, which can occur both within and outside the native range of V. virgatum. We designate a neotype for V. virgatum and lectotypes for V. virgatum vars. angustifolium, parvifolium, and speciosum. 

Since its original publication in 1789, Vaccinium virgatum has been treated by most authors as an accepted species in V. sect. Cyanococcus. In the latest comprehensive taxonomic treatment of the section, however, it is treated as a synonym of the broadly circumscribed species V. corymbosum. Here we use a combination of morphology, ploidy assessment with flow cytometry, and previously published phylogenomic analysis based on high-throughput DNA sequencing to support the taxonomic status of V. virgatum as a species to be recognized. As circumscribed here, V. virgatum occurs in the southeastern U.S. Coastal Plain from Arkansas, Texas, and southeastern Oklahoma to northeastern Florida and southeastern Carolina. An updated taxonomic treatment of the species, including an expanded description, distribution map by county, and a representative list of specimens examined by county is included. We provide a means of distinguishing V. virgatum from V. ashei, a similar species recently also segregated from V. corymbosum, and from presumed rabbiteye blueberry escapes from cultivation, which can occur both within and outside the native range of V. virgatum. We designate a neotype for V. virgatum and lectotypes for V. virgatum vars. angustifolium, parvifolium, and speciosum. 

Saurauia decolorata from the Mt. Pantaron Range, Bukidnon and Mt. Balatukan Natural Park, Misamis Oriental, Mindanao Island, the Philippines, is illustrated and described as a new species. It closely resembles S. avellana and S. elegans in having branchlets, petioles, and abaxial surfaces of the leaves covered with tomentum and scales, densely clustered flowers, longitudinal anther dehiscence, and 3–4 styles. However, S. decolorata is distinguished from these species by its prominent rusty-colored tomentum and scales on branchlets and abaxial leaf surfaces, cordate leaf bases, crenate margin, 16–21 pairs of lateral veins, fascicled-cymose inflorescences that are both axillary and ramiflorous, and sparsely scaly pinkish green outer sepals. This discovery further emphasizes the unique biodiversity of the forests of the Pantaron Range and Mt. Balatukan which urgently need legislative protection and enhanced protected area management plans, respectively. 

Three new species of Vaccinium endemic to the island of Mindanao, Philippines are here described and illustrated. Vaccinium fallax most closely resembles V. myrtoides, but differs by having smaller leaves, caducous bracts, shorter pedicels, a broadly obconical hypanthium, broadly triangular calyx lobes, and a deep pink and broadly urceolate corolla. It grows on exposed areas and among sulfur vents at and near the summit of Mt. Apo. Vaccinium gamay most closely resembles V. gitingense, but differs in having shorter inflorescences, early caducous inflorescence bracts, shorter pedicels, presence of clavate glands on the hypanthium, and an absence of anther spurs. It grows on exposed areas in the ultramafic forest of Mt. Hamiguitan. It is one of only two Philippine Vaccinium species possessing distinctly callose-thickened calyx lobes, the other being V. gitingense. Vaccinium vomicum most closely resembles V. carmesinum, but differs by having smaller leaves, presence of glands on the extreme end of the leaf blade base, presence of clavate glands on the hypanthium, shorter stamens, and presence of stalked glands on the dentate apex of the tubules. It grows in the mossy rainforest of Mt. Kitanglad, and it is the only Philippine species of Vaccinium with glands on the extreme end of its leaf blade base. Following IUCN guidelines, we propose a conservation status of Critically Endangered for V. fallax, Endangered for V. gamay, and Data Deficient for V. vomicum. With these discoveries, the number of Vaccinium species in Mindanao Islands increases to 22 and in the Philippines to 44. Furthermore, the Mindanao Islands can now be considered the center of Vaccinium diversity in the Philippines. 

A new species of Ericaceae from the Gayo Plateau, Aceh Province, Indonesia is described. Rigiolepis gayoensis resembles R. lanceolata but differs by having shorter leaves, non-protruding basal leaf glands, longer flowering pedicels, a glabrous hypanthium, and a dark red or maroon corolla. A detailed morphological description, ecological notes, conservation status, and photographs are presented. The new species represents the third species of Rigiolepis found in the island of Sumatra. A key to the species of Rigiolepis in Sumatra is provided. 

Schizaea erecta Amoroso & Coritico (Schizaeaceae) from Dinagat Island, Mindanao, Philippines, is here described. This species is distinguished from other species of Schizaea by its consistently erect sterile and fertile fronds, narrow laminae, opposite sorophore lobes, rhizomes covered with short appressed brown scales, and oblong sporangia with apical annulus and conspicuous long, white hairs. A taxonomic key to the species of Philippine Schizaeaceae is provided.  

A new species of blueberry, Vaccinium coarctatum M.N.Tamayo & Fernando, from the dwarf forest on ultramafic soil of Dinagat Island, Philippines, is described. It closely resembles Vaccinium hamiguitanense P.W.Fritsch but is distinct from that species in having a longer inflorescence, shorter pedicels, longer and persistent bracteoles, white-hirsutulous calyx lobes, and shorter anther spurs. This discovery brings the number of Vaccinium species known from the Philippines to 41. A key to the small-leaved Vaccinium in the Philippines is provided. 

Begonia masilig and Begonia akaw, both endemic to Aurora Memorial National Park, Luzon, Philippines, are described as species new to science. Begonia masilig is similar to B. droseroides in its rhizomatous habit and glandular trichomes on the inflorescence, but differs in lamina shape and overall size, and the vestiture of stipule, lamina margin, and outer tepals of staminate flowers. Begonia akaw is similar to B. ramosii in its short erect habit, ovate lamina and congested terminal inflorescence with 2-tepaled staminate flowers, but differs in inflorescence size and arrangement, and bract and ovary shape. Both new species are here proposed to be Endangered (EN) as per IUCN criteria. 

Two new species of Vaccinium from the Philippines are described and illustrated from historical herbarium collections. Vaccinium burburan from Luzon Island, Northern Philippines is morphologically similar to V. tenuipes, but is distinguished by having shorter petioles, pedicels and corolla, adaxially pubescent leaf blades with cordate base, apically pubescent corollas, and pubescent filaments throughout. It is only one of two species of Vaccinium in the Philippines known to have a cordate leaf blade base. Vaccinium burburan is considered critically endangered. Vaccinium jubatum from Mindanao Island, Southern Philippines, is morphologically similar to V. sylvaticum, but is distinguished by having a dentate leaf blade margin, shorter inflorescences and pedicels, a glabrous calyx, and shorter filaments. The dentate leaf blade margin of V. jubatum uniquely distinguishes it from other Philippine Vaccinium species. The conservation status of V. jubatum is considered data deficient. These discoveries further increase the current number of known Vaccinium species in the Philippines to 40.