Myrsinecirrhosa (Primulaceae), a distinctive new shrub species from Kaua'i, Hawaiian Islands.

Myrsinecirrhosa Lorence & K.R.Wood (Primulaceae), a new single-island endemic shrub species from Kaua'i, Hawaiian Islands, is described and illustrated. Notes on its distribution, ecology and conservation status are included. The new species is known from an area with ca. 45 individuals, where it is restricted to the remote central windward region of Kaua'i in open bogs and along open windy ridges. Suggested IUCN Red List status is CR (Critically Endangered). It differs from its Kaua'i congeners by its longer petals and narrowly elliptic leaves with strongly undulate margins and tendril-like apex. Phylogenetic analysis using RADseq data supports the recognition of this new species.

Clermontiahanaulaensis (Campanulaceae, Lobelioideae), a new, critically endangered species from Maui, Hawaiian Islands.

Clermontiahanaulaensis H.Oppenheimer, Lorence & W.L.Wagner, sp. nov., a newly discovered, narrowly distributed endemic species, is herein described based on its morphological characteristics and illustrated with field photos and a line drawing. It is currently known only from the slopes of Hana'ula, in Pohakea Gulch, Mauna Kahalawai, west Maui, Hawaiian Islands. It differs from all other species of Clermontia Gaudich. by the combination of its (2)3-4(-5) flowered inflorescence, violet colored perianth often suffused with creamy white streaks or sometimes creamy white with violet-purple irregular veins, (30)35-45(-50) mm long, perianth tube 15-25(-27) mm long, 9-10 mm wide, the lobes 20-26 mm long, (2-)3-3.5 mm wide, with petaloid calyx lobes 1/2-4/5 as long as the petals. A key to the Clermontia species and subspecies occurring on Maui is provided. Its habitat is described. Its conservation status is proposed as critically endangered (CR), and conservation efforts are discussed.

Extinction risk of the endemic vascular flora of Kauai, Hawaii, based on IUCN assessments.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN Red List) is the world's most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of species. Governmental agencies and conservation organizations increasingly rely on IUCN Red List assessments to develop conservation policies and priorities. Funding agencies use the assessments as evaluation criteria, and researchers use meta-analysis of red-list data to address fundamental and applied conservation science questions. However, the circa 143,000 IUCN assessments represent a fraction of the world's biodiversity and are biased in regional and organismal coverage. These biases may affect conservation priorities, funding, and uses of these data to understand global patterns. Isolated oceanic islands are characterized by high endemicity, but the unique biodiversity of many islands is experiencing high extinction rates. The archipelago of Hawaii has one of the highest levels of endemism of any floristic region; 90% of its 1367 native vascular plant taxa are classified as endemic. We used the IUCN's assessment of the complete single-island endemic (SIE) vascular plant flora of Kauai, Hawaii, to assess the proportion and drivers of decline of threatened plants in an oceanic island setting. We compared the IUCN assessments with federal, state, and other local assessments of Kauai species or taxa of conservation concern. Finally, we conducted a preliminary assessment for all 1044 native vascular plants of Hawaii based on IUCN criterion B by estimating area of occupancy, extent of occurrence, and number of locations to determine whether the pattern found for the SIE vascular flora of Kauai is comparable to the native vascular flora of the Hawaiian Islands. We compared our results with patterns observed for assessments of other floras. According to IUCN, 256 SIE vascular plant taxa are threatened with extinction and 5% are already extinct. This is the highest extinction risk reported for any flora to date. The preliminary assessment of the native vascular flora of Hawaii showed that 72% (753 taxa) is threatened. The flora of Hawaii may be one of the world's most threatened; thus, increased and novel conservation measures in the state and on other remote oceanic islands are urgently needed.

La Lista Roja de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (Lista Roja UICN) es la fuente más completa a nivel mundial de información sobre el estado de conservación de las especies. Las agencias gubernamentales y las organizaciones para la conservación dependen cada vez más de las valoraciones en esta lista para desarrollar sus políticas y prioridades de conservación; también los organismos de financiamiento usan las valoraciones como criterios de evaluación y los investigadores aplican metaanálisis a los datos de la lista para abordar preguntas fundamentales y aplicadas a las ciencias de la conservación. Sin embargo, las casi 143,000 valoraciones de la UICN representan sólo una fracción de la biodiversidad mundial y están sesgadas en cuanto a la cobertura regional y de organismos. Estos sesgos pueden afectar a las prioridades de conservación, al financiamiento y al uso de estos datos para entender los patrones globales. Las islas oceánicas aisladas se caracterizan por un alto endemismo, aunque la biodiversidad única de muchas de estas islas está experimentando un índice elevado de extinciones. El archipiélago de Hawái tiene uno de los niveles más altos de endemismo de cualquier región florística con el 90% de los 1,367 taxones nativos de flora vascular clasificado como endémico. Usamos las valoraciones de la UICN para todas las plantas vasculares endémicas de una sola isla (ESI) en Kauai, Hawái, para evaluar la proporción y los impulsores de la declinación de plantas amenazadas en el entorno de una isla oceánica. Comparamos las valoraciones de la UICN con las federales, estatales y otras valoraciones locales de las especies o taxones de Kauai que son de importancia para la conservación. Por último, realizamos una valoración preliminar para las 1,044 especies de plantas vasculares nativas de Hawái con base en el criterio B de la UICN mediante la estimación del área de ocupación, la extensión de la ocurrencia y el número de localidades para determinar si el patrón hallado para la flora vascular ESI de Kauai es comparable con la flora vascular nativa de las islas hawaianas. Comparamos nuestros resultados con los patrones observados en las valoraciones de otras floras. De acuerdo con la UICN, el 95% de los taxones de plantas vasculares ESI de Kauai están amenazadas y el 5% ya se encuentra extinto. A la fecha, este es el riesgo de extinción más alto reportado para cualquier flora. La valoración preliminar de la flora vascular nativa de Hawái mostró que el 72% (753 taxones) se encuentra amenazado. La flora de Hawái puede ser una de las más amenazadas a nivel mundial; por lo tanto, se necesitan urgentemente medidas novedosas e incrementadas en el estado y en otras islas oceánicas remotas.

Pogostemon guamensis Lorence & W.L.Wagner (Lamiaceae), a new species from Guam, Mariana Islands.

While undertaking a botanical survey of the Andersen Air Force Base on Guam (Mariana Islands) in 1994, botanists from the National Tropical Botanical Garden collected an unusual suffrutescent, non-aromatic member of the Lamiaceae family growing on limestone cliffs in the northeastern part of the island. Based on morphology and molecular data (trnLF, matK), it was determined to belong to the genus Pogostemon Desf., a genus previously unknown from the Micronesian, Melanesian, and Polynesian region. Moreover, the analysis also showed that it was not conspecific with P. cablin (patchouli), and of the species available to include in the phylogenetic analyses it is sister to P. hirsutus¸ a species from India and Sri Lanka. Differing from its congeners by its large, loose inflorescence 2.5-5 cm wide and up to 7 cm wide in fruit, it is here illustrated and described as a new species, Pogostemon guamensis Lorence & W.L. Wagner and its habitat and conservation status are discussed.

A global plastid phylogeny of the fern genus Asplenium (Aspleniaceae).

The infrageneric relationships and taxonomy of the largest fern genus, Asplenium (Aspleniaceae), have remained poorly understood. Previous studies have focused mainly on specific species complexes involving a few or dozens of species only, or have achieved a large taxon sampling but only one plastid marker was used. In the present study, DNA sequences from six plastid markers (atpB, rbcL, rps4, rps4-trnS, trnL and trnL-F) of 1030 accessions (616 of them newly sequenced here) representing c. 420 species of Asplenium (60% of estimated species diversity), 16 species of Hymenasplenium, three Diplaziopsidaceae, and four Rhachidosoraceae were used to produce the largest genus-level phylogeny yet for ferns. Our major results include: (i) Asplenium as broadly circumscribed is monophyletic based on our inclusion of representatives of 32 of 38 named segregate genera; (ii) 11 major clades in Asplenium are identified, and their relationships are mostly well-resolved and strongly supported; (iii) numerous species, unsampled in previous studies, suggest new relationships and numerous cryptic species and species complexes in Asplenium; and (iv) the accrued molecular evidence provides an essential foundation for further investigations of complex patterns of geographical diversification, speciation and reticulate evolution in this family.

Perrottetiawichmaniorum (Dipentodontaceae), a new species from Kaua'i, Hawaiian Islands.

Perrottetiawichmaniorum Lorence & W. L. Wagner, sp. nov. is described as endemic to Kaua'i. It differs from its Hawaiian congener P.sandwicensis by its larger, thicker, more densely hirtellous-villosulous rugose leaves with a smaller length:width ratio [1.5-1.7:1], larger inflorescences with usually four degrees of branching with moderately to densely hirtellous axes, and flowers with glabrous petals. This new species falls into the Endangered (EN) category when evaluated using the IUCN Red List criteria for endangerment based on its small area of occupancy, a decline in the extent and quality of its habitat, and number of mature individuals.

A plastid phylogeny of the fern genus Arachniodes (Dryopteridaceae).

Arachniodes (Dryopteridaceae) is one of the most confusing and controversial fern genera in terms of its circumscription, nomenclature, and taxonomy. Estimates of species number range from 40 to 200. Previous molecular works included only 2-17 accessions representing 2-12 species of Arachniodes and allied genera, leaving most of the Asian species remain unsampled and the infragneric relationships unclear. In this study DNA sequences of seven plastid markers of 343 accessions representing ca. 68 species of Arachniodes (275 accessions), and 64 outgroup accessions from subfam. Dryopteridoideae and subfam. Polybotryoideae were used to infer a phylogeny with maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and maximum parsimony approaches. Our major results include: (1) Two species currently assigned in Arachniodes (A. macrostegia and A. ochropteroides are resolved outside of the core Arachniodes making the currently defined Arachniodes polyphyletic, confirming earlier findings; (2) Lithostegia, Leptorumohra, and Phanerophlebiopsis are indeed synonyms of Arachniodes; (3) Leptorumohra is confirmed to be monophyletic, but Phanerophlebiopsis is polyphyletic; (4) The New World species of Arachniodes are confirmed to be not monophyletic with A. denticulata being nested within the Old World species, suggesting that this species is dispersed from the Old World; (5) Arachniodes s.s is resolved into 12 major clades, some of which are further divisable into recognizable subclades and groups, with A. mutica from Japan being resolved as the sister to the rest of the genus; (6) A number of systematic implications of the phylogeny have been suggested; and (7) the genus is estimated to contain ca. 83 species.

Chiococca grandiflora (Rubiaceae), a new species from Northern Mexico.

The new species Chiococca grandiflora Lorence & T.Van Devender from Sinaloa and Sonora, Mexico differs from its congeners by its larger, showy white flowers in compact cymes of 3-9, and infundibuliform corollas 16-20 mm long with tubes 13-17 mm long and lobes 3-3.5 mm long. Its distribution, habitat, and relationships are outlined. The conservation status for this species is estimated to be Endangered (EN) based on IUCN Red List Criteria.

ResumenLa nueva especie, Chiococca grandiflora Lorence & T.Van Devender, de Sinaloa y Sonora, México, difiere de sus congenéricas por sus grandes y vistosas flores blancas, en cimas compactas de 3­9 flores, y corolas infundibuliformes de 16­20 mm de longitud, con tubos de 13­17 mm y lóbulos de 3­3.5 mm de longitud. Se presentan datos de distribución, hábitat y relaciones. De acuerdo con los criterios de la Lista Roja de la IUCN, se estima que el estado de conservación de esta especie debe ser como En Peligro (EN, por sus siglas en Inglés).

Coprosma kawaikiniensis (Rubiaceae) a new species from the Dubautia-Sadleria shrubland-fernland community on Kaua'i, Hawaiian Islands.

Coprosma kawaikiniensis K.R. Wood, Lorence & Kiehn (Rubiaceae), a rare endemic tree from Kaua'i, Hawaiian Islands, is described and illustrated along with a previously undescribed endemic plant community, the Dubautia-Sadleria shrubland-fernland (DSSF). The new species differs from Hawai'i congeners by its combination of opposite, long, elliptic to narrowly elliptic or ovate-elliptic leaves with revolute margins; caducous stipules 7-10 mm long, externally glabrous, densely hirtellous-pilose near the margins of the inner surface; unbranched inflorescences with peduncles 20-28 mm long; flowers 6-8 per cluster; and persistent calyx tube with 4-8 irregular dentate lobes. Known only from the windward slopes and ridges of southeastern Kaua'i below the Kawaikini summit, Coprosma kawaikiniensis falls into the IUCN Critically Endangered (CR) Red List category.

A large-scale phylogeny of the lycophyte genus Selaginella (Selaginellaceae: Lycopodiopsida) based on plastid and nuclear loci.

The lycophyte genus Selaginella alone constitutes the family Selaginellaceae, the largest of the lycophyte families. The genus is estimated to contain 700-800 species distributed on all continents except Antarctica, with highest species diversity in tropical and subtropical regions. The monophyly of Selaginella in this broad sense has rarely been doubted, whereas its intrageneric classification has been notoriously contentious. Previous molecular studies were based on very sparse sampling of Selaginella (up to 62 species) and often used DNA sequence data from one genome. In the present study, DNA sequences of one plastid (rbcL) and one nuclear (ITS) locus from 394 accessions representing approximately 200 species of Selaginella worldwide were used to infer a phylogeny using maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference and maximum parsimony methods. The study identifies strongly supported major clades and well resolves relationships among them. Major results include: (i) six deep-level clades are discovered representing the deep splits of Selaginella; and (ii) 20 major clades representing 20 major evolutionary lineages are identified, which differ from one another in molecular, macro-morphological, ecological and spore features, and/or geographical distribution.

Heliotropium (Boraginaceae) in the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia) with description of a new species.

During the preparation of the Vascular Flora of the Marquesas Islands a new endemic species of Heliotropium L. (Boraginaceae) has come to light and is described herein: Heliotropiumperlmanii Lorence & W. L. Wagner. It is known only from the island of Eiao and appears most closely related to Heliotropiummarchionicum Decne., also endemic to the Marquesas and known from Nuku Hiva. An amended description of Heliotropiummarchionicum and key to separate the Marquesan species are given and their differences discussed.

Sommera cusucoana, a new species of Rubiaceae from Honduras.

Sommera cusucoana Lorence, D. Kelly & A. Dietzsch, sp. nov., (Rubiaceae), a new species from Honduras, differs from the other Mesoamerican Sommera species by the combination of large, obovate leaves with long red petioles, glabrous or glabrate intervenal areas, red stipules, lax, sparsely pubescent inflorescences with red axes, flowers with red hypanthium and calyx, long fruiting pedicels, and dark red mature fruits. It is known only from the type locality in Cusuco National Park.

ResumenSe describe e ilustra Sommera cusucoana Lorence, D. Kelly & A. Dietzsch, sp. nov. (Rubiaceae), especie nueva de Honduras. Se trata de un árbol que se difiere de las otras especies Mesoamericanas de Sommera por sus hojas grandes obovadas con peciolos largos rojos, áreas intervenales glabras o glabradas, estípulas rojas, inflorescencias laxas, escasamente puberulas, flores con hipanto y cáliz rojo, pedicelos fructíferos largos, y frutos maduros rojos. Se conoce sólamente de la localidad tipo en el Parque Nacional Cusuco.

Revision of endemic Marquesas Islands Bidens (Asteraceae, Coreopsideae).

During the preparation of the Vascular Flora of the Marquesas Islands four new species of Bidens (Coreopsideae, Asteraceae) have come to light and are described herein: Bidens woodii W.L. Wagner, J.R. Clark & Lorence, sp. nov. from Ua Pou, and Bidens microcephala W.L. Wagner, J.R. Clark & Lorence sp. nov., Bidens evapelliana W.L. Wagner, J.R. Clark & Lorence, sp. nov., and Bidens wichmanii W.L. Wagner, J.R. Clark & Lorence, sp. nov. from the undercollected island of Fatu Hiva. In addition to these new species, we recognize the following six species of Bidens previously described from the Marquesas Islands: Bidens beckiana (F. Br.) Sherff (Eiao and Hatutaa), Bidens bipontina Sherff and Bidens cordifolia Sch. Bip. (both in Nuku Hiva), Bidens henryi Sherff (Hiva Oa, Tahuata), Bidens uapensis (F. Br.) Sherff (Ua Pou), and Bidens polycephala Sch. Bip. (Nuku Hiva, Ua Huku, Hiva Oa, Tahuata, and Mohotani). Two names are reduced to synonymy under Bidens polycephala: Bidens collina Degener & Sherff, syn. nov. and Bidens jardinii Sch. Bip., syn. nov. Bidens polycephala has the widest distribution of the Marquesan species on five of the islands and exhibits considerable variation.

Revision of cyrtandra (gesneriaceae) in the marquesas islands.

During the preparation of the Vascular Flora of the Marquesas Islands three new species of Cyrtandra (Gesneriaceae) have come to light and are described herein: C. uapouensis W. L. Wagner & Lorence, C. uahukaensis W. L. Wagner & Lorence, and C. kenwoodii W. L. Wagner & A. J. Wagner. Amended descriptions of the eight previously described Marquesan species are also provided as well as a key to the species. With the description of these the new species Cyrtandra in the Marquesas Islands consists of 11 species, six of which have been included in recent molecular phylogenetic studies of Pacific Cyrtandra, and appear to have arisen from one original introduction. If the other five species are members of this Marquesas clade then Cyrtandra would represent the largest lineage of Marquesas vascular plants. Psychotria is largest genus in the Marquesas Islands with 13 species, but is thought to consist of three separate lineages.

A new species of Cyanea (Campanulaceae, Lobelioideae) from Maui, Hawaiian Islands.

Cyanea kauaulaensis H. Oppenheimer & Lorence, sp. nov., a new, narrowly endemic species from Maui, Hawaiian Islands is described, illustrated with field photos, and its affinities and conservation status are discussed. It is currently known from 62 mature plants and is restricted to Kaua`ula and Waikapu valleys on leeward western Maui. It differs from all other species of Cyanea by its combination of many-branched habit; glabrous, unarmed, undivided leaves; small, narrow, glabrous corollas with small calyx lobes that do not persist in fruit; and bright orange, subglobose to obovoid fruits.

New pteridophyte species and combinations from the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Intensive botanical exploration of the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia) for the Vascular Flora of the Marquesas Islands and Flore de la Polynésie française projects has resulted in numerous additional new collections from these islands. Study of these collections has brought to light 11 new species of pteridophytes (ferns and lycophytes) which are described herein: Blechnum pacificum Lorence & A. R. Sm., sp. nov., Cyclosorus castaneus A. R. Sm. & Lorence, sp. nov., Cyclosorus florencei A. R. Sm. & Lorence, sp. nov., Dryopteris macropholis Lorence & W. L. Wagner, sp. nov., Dryopteris sweetorum Lorence & W. L. Wagner, sp. nov., Polystichum kenwoodii Lorence & W. L. Wagner, sp. nov., Polystichum uahukaense Lorence & W. L. Wagner, sp. nov., Pteris hivaoaensis Lorence & K. R. Wood, sp. nov., Pteris marquesensis Lorence & K. R. Wood, sp. nov., Pteris tahuataensis Lorence & K. R. Wood, sp. nov., and Thelypteris marquesensis Lorence & K. R. Wood, sp. nov. One new combination is made: Cyclosorus marquesicus (Holttum) Lorence & A. R. Sm., comb. nov. (based on Plesioneuron marquesicum Holttum). An analysis of the conservation status of these new Marquesas Islands taxa reveals they are in need of inclusion in the IUCN Red List with conservation status ranging from vulnerable (one species), and endangered (four species), to critically endangered (five species).

Oxalis simplicifolia (Oxalidaceae), an unusual new unifoliolate species from the Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia).

Oxalis simplicifolia Lorence & W. L. Wagner sp. nov., a new species from the Marquesas Islands (Ua Huka) is described and illustrated. It differs from the other Marquesas species, Oxalis gagneorum, in having simple, unifoliolate glabrous leaves, minutely glandular-puberulent calyx lobes, shorter corolla lobes, erect capsules, and smaller seeds. As its habitat is under serious threat from human impact, feral animals, and weeds, we conclude this new species should be added to the IUCN Red List as critically endangered (CR).

Weinmannia marquesana var. angustifolia (Cunoniaceae), a new variety from the Marquesas Islands.

Weinmannia marquesana F. Br. var. angustifolia Lorence & W. L. Wagner, var. nov., a new variety with narrow, simple leaves endemic to Tahuata, Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia) is described and its affinities and conservation status are discussed. It is similar to the other two varieties of this species by having simple leaves, but this new variety has much narrower leaf blades, and it resembles Weinmannia tremuloides in having narrow leaf blades but differs by having simple, not trifoliolate leaves.

A nomenclator of Pacific oceanic island Phyllanthus (Phyllanthaceae), including Glochidion.

Recent molecular phylogenetic studies and reevaluation of morphological characters have led to the inclusion of Glochidion within a broader delimitation of Phyllanthus. It is necessary for preparation of the Vascular Flora of the Marquesas Islands to make new combinations for the Marquesan species. We also provide the relevant combinations and listing of all of the currently accepted species of Phyllanthus on Pacific oceanic islands for a total of 69 native species in oceanic Pacific islands. Glochidion tooviianum J. Florenceis here placed into synonymy of Phyllanthus marchionicus (F. Br.) W. L. Wagner & Lorence based on new assessment of recently collected specimens from Nuku Hiva. Glochidion excorticans Fosberg var. calvum Fosberg is placed into synonomy of Phyllanthus ponapense (Hosokawa) W. L. Wagner & Lorenceand Glochidion puberulum Hosokawa and Glochidion excorticans Fosberg are placed in synonymy of Phyllanthus senyavinianus (Glassman)W. L. Wagner & Lorence based on new study of all Micronesian specimens available to us. No infraspecific taxa are recognized within Phyllanthus pacificus of the Marquesas Islands. Species already with valid names in Phyllanthus are also listed for completeness and convenience. Brief distributional comments are given for each species. We propose new names for species for which a new combination is not possible: Phyllanthus florencei W. L. Wagner & Lorence, nom. nov., Phyllanthus mariannensis W.L. Wagner & Lorence, nom. nov., Phyllanthus otobedii W. L. Wagner & Lorence, Phyllanthus raiateaensis W. L. Wagner & Lorence, Phyllanthus st-johnii W. L. Wagner & Lorence, nom. nov., and Phyllanthus vitilevuensis W.L. Wagner & Lorence, nom. nov. We provide information for four additional naturalized species within the region (Phyllanthus amarus, Phyllanthus debilis, Phyllanthus tenellus, and Phyllanthus urinaria). The name Glochidion ramiflorum widely applied to Pacific island populations is here considered to be a species further west in the Pacific with all of the oceanic species here referred to several regional species.