Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas

Index to New Names and New Combinatons

Barney Lipscomb — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Index to new names, new combinations, and typifications published in J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 19(1), 2025.

Chromosome numbers of miscellaneous southwestern North American angiosperms

Zachary S. Rogers, Darrell E. Ward, Sara Fuentes-Soriano, Richard W. Spellenberg — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Fifty-nine original meiotic chromosome counts are presented for 43 angiosperm species across 31 genera in 14 families. Reports are based on observation of pollen mother cells in flower bud collections made from wild populations in New Mexico, western Texas, southeastern Arizona, and north-central Mexico. Of these 59 counts, 10 are first reports, nine belong to assorted genera of Nyctaginaceae (Acleisanthes, Allionia, Boerhavia, Cyphomeris, Mirabilis) and one pertains to Lamiaceae (Scutellaria). New counts and results are compared to chromosome counts and analyses published in earlier studies. Findings highlight specific taxa, populations and areas that would benefit from additional sampling to elucidate patterns of variation related to cytology and biodiversity that could, in turn, strengthen genomic studies, taxonomic classifications and conservation strategies.

Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, Volume 55

BRIT Press — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

There are 21 articles in volume 55. The Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics covers significant developments in the fields of ecology, evolutionary biology, and systematics, as they apply to all life on Earth. Essay reviews cover topics ranging from phylogeny, speciation, and molecular evolution through behavior and evolutionary physiology to population dynamics, ecosystems processes, and applications in invasion biology, conservation, and environmental management.

Annual Review of Phytopathology, Volume 62

BRIT Press — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

There are 18 articles in the current issue. The Annual Review of Phytopathology, in publication since 1963, covers significant developments in the field of plant pathology, including plant disease diagnosis, pathogens, host-pathogen interactions, epidemiology and ecology, breeding for resistance and plant disease management, and includes a special section on the development of concepts

Lessons from Leopold: Learning from the Land

BRIT Press — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

From the Publisher:

Aldo Leopold (1887–1948), arguably best known for his posthumous A Sand County Almanac (1949), is considered by many the father of modern wildlife management. He developed and described many of the concepts of conservation, ecology, and stewardship of natural resources still used today. Leopold was an astute observer of the land and people’s relationship to the land. His writings have endured the test of time and have proven to be remarkably prophetic and relevant to today’s issues.

Lessons from Leopold: Learning from the Land takes 54 selections of Leopold’s writings relevant to current-day conservation issues as a starting point to provide thought-provoking lessons that have direct application to contemporary land management. Notable Texas conservationist Steve Nelle brings Leopold’s message into our current context, touching on a variety of issues including ecology, land ethics, conservation, and land and wildlife management. Nelle’s pieces originally appeared as a bimonthly column for Texas Wildlife, Texas Wildlife Association’s monthly magazine. This collection of works has been edited and organized into a coherent whole as seven chapters, accompanied by short introductions to place the lessons into a wider topical context. The book includes an introduction by Iliana Peña, 15 archival photographs, and 20 color photographs by nature photographer Wyman Meinzer.

Review forthcoming

Names for American Acacia (Fabaceae, Mimosoideae)

BRIT Press — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Acacia Mill., s. l., (Fabaceae, Mimosoideae) has been recently proposed to principally consist of seven segregate genera: Vachellia Wight & Arn., Senegalia Raf., Mariosousa Seigler & Ebinger, Acaciella Britton & Rose, Parasenegalia Seigler & Ebinger, Pseudosenegalia Seigler & Ebinger, and Acacia s. str. Nomenclatural citations and type detail are presented here for 1706 species names in Acacia or affined genera in the New World, of which 386 species names are taxonomically accepted. Seventy-two names are currently recognized for Vachellia in the Americas that include an accepted 67 species, seven varieties and two forms. One hundred-one names are accepted for the most speciose genus Senegalia (100 species, one variety). Fifteen species names (eight varieties) are recognized in Acaciella, 14 species for Mariosousa, 11 species for Parasenegalia, and two species for Pseudosenegalia. Only 36 names (35 species, two varieties) are currently accepted for Acacia s. str., among the 714 species names (151 infraspecies) evaluated in Acacia. Other names considered may be assigned to Mimosa L. or to mimosoid legume genera such as Albizia Durazz., Calliandra Benth., Desmanthus Willd., Entada Adans., Leucaena Benth., Lysiloma Benth., Piptadenia Benth., Prosopis L., Samanea (Benth.) Merr., and Zapoteca H.M. Hern. The current status of other names in Acaciella, Senegalia, Vachellia, Mimosa, Manganaroa Speg., Pithecellobium Mart., Poponax, Prosopis, Lysiloma, and Myrmecodendron Britton & Rose that have not been transferred to, but mostly belong to, Acacia s. l. are also treated. Lectotypifications are newly provided for 248 names within the Mimosoideae, with three neotypifications.

Morphology, geography, and ecology of incised-leaf variants of Symphyotrichum lowrieanum (Asteraceae)

Foster Levy — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Specimens identified as Symphyotrichum cordifolium and S. lowrieanum with incised and pinnatifid leaves have been noted since the mid-1800s. A search of herbarium records uncovered 31 unique collections and 53 herbarium sheets of plants whose leaf incisions and lobes ranged from 4–18 mm in length. In most specimens, at least half the cauline leaves had incised leaves. Basal leaves tended to be cordate, truncate, or rounded at the base and long rhizomes were often associated with the incised-leaf form. Incised-leaved specimens occurred in eight states, ranging from Maine to Tennessee, with concentrations in Pennsylvania and Tennessee. Most collection sites were associated with shale or limestone/dolomite in the Ridge and Valley and Appalachian Plateaus physiographic provinces at elevations of 200–800 m. Repeat collections of incised-leaved specimens from several populations showed spatial and temporal persistence of the variant phenotype. Although variants comprised the majority form in some populations, typical S. lowrieanum was usually also present. Circumstantial evidence suggested the incised-leaf phenotype has a genetic basis. The geographic, ecological, and temporal associations are best acknowledged by use of the rank of variety as; Symphyotrichum lowrieanum (L.) G.L. Nesom var. incisum (Porter ex Britton) F. Levy, comb. nov.

Opuntia bentonii: A Texas Gulf Coast beach cactus (Cactaceae: Opuntioideae)

Joseph Shaw, David J. Ferguson — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Opuntia bentonii Griffiths is a little-known prickly pear cactus that grows in the aeolian foredunes and uncommonly in the back dunes along the Gulf Coast of Texas. Despite the unique features of O. bentonii, it has been essentially overlooked and, if noticed, incorrectly identified. This work provides a thorough photographic documentation and description of the species and briefly documents its ecology. Though it was described as a component of the pest-pear infestation of Australia, the literature from that time suggests that it may have been confused with O. anahuacensis Griffiths, O stricta (Haw.) Haw., or other Gulf of Mexico coastal species (from more easterly locations). Herein we present our observations of O. bentonii and the sympatric O. anahuacensis.

Erigeron beyrichii (Asteraceae), a new combination and redefinition of a widespread taxon in the southeastern United States

Richard D. Noyes, Derick Poindexter — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Erigeron annuus-E. strigosus species complex is an assemblage of several generally narrowly distributed sexual diploid populations in the southeastern United States plus the widespread apomictic polyploid taxa E. annuus and E. strigosus. Erigeron strigosus var. beyrichii has previously been used to describe plants with diffuse branching and smaller capitula, and it has also been presumed to be polyploid and apomictic. An herbarium specimen at the University of Georgia (GA) was examined that is a duplicate of an original Beyrich collection made in ‘Carolina’ in 1833 that was acquired and distributed by the British Museum (BM). Cotton blue in lactophenol stained pollen provides unambiguous evidence for the diploid and sexual condition of the specimen. Digital images of the putative type specimen of the taxon at LE as well as additional digital specimens from BM and HUH were also examined. The evidence supports the new combination Erigeron beyrichii. This is a sexual diploid species on the coastal plain of the United States in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. The nomenclatural update brings the taxon into parallel status with other sexual diploid taxa that have recently been described in the complex.

A new combination and two nomenclatural updates in Ceratostema (Ericaceae: Vaccinieae) from southeastern Ecuador

Xavier Cornejo, James L. Luteyn — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The new combination Ceratostema gualaquizaensis var. lucida (Ericaceae: Vaccinieae) from southeastern Ecuador is presented here; and the status of C. portillae A. Doucette & H. Medina and C. guachizacae A. Doucette, H. Medina, & J. Portilla is updated. A key to Ceratostema gualaquizaensis complex is provided.

A new species, new records, and new synonyms of Mandevilla (Apocynaceae) from Ecuador, with comments on morphological characters

J. Francisco Morales — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Mandevilla hansenii is described and illustrated and a distribution map is included; it resembles M. hirsuta but differs by its tomentose branchlets and leaf blades, broader sepals, corolla tube tomentose outside, with obtuse floral buds, and longer anthers. It is provisionally assessed as Endangered (EN). Mandevilla arcuata A.H. Gentry, M. horrida J.F. Morales, M. pavonii (A.DC.) Woodson, M. boliviensis (J.J. Veitch) Woodson, M. polyantha K. Schum. ex Woodson, and M. pristina J.F. Morales are reported for the first time in Ecuador. Mandevilla versicolor Woodson is reduced to the synonymy of M. glandulosa (Ruiz & Pav.) Woodson and M. dodsonii A.H. Gentry under M. sagittarii Woodson. Mandevilla bracteata (Kunth) Kuntze, M. laxa (Ruiz & Pav.) Woodson and M. riparia (Kunth) Woodson are excluded from the native Flora of Ecuador. A lectotype is selected for Mandevilla polyantha. A key to the species of Mandevilla of the exothostemon group in Ecuador is given.