ABSTRACT Six new species of the genus Borneoa (Araceae: Schismatoglottideae) are described from Borneo, increasing the number of accepted species to 30. The new taxa are distinguished by a combination of vegetative and reproductive characters, including leaf morphology, anthomorph structure, spathe and spadix proportions, and floret details. All six species are endemic to narrowly circumscribed habitats, primarily lowland to upper hill forests, and most have highly restricted distributions. Diagnostic features, notes on ecology and distribution, and comparisons with morphologically similar species are provided. All species are illustrated from living plants and a figure comparing the spadix of all described species is provided. This study highlights the continuing underestimation of aroid diversity in Borneo and underscores the importance of ongoing field exploration and taxonomic revision in the region.
ABSTRACT Gaps in botanical collecting efforts limit our understanding of plant diversity and conservation, especially in megadiverse and poorly sampled regions like the Amazon. Using Clusia L., a species‐rich genus in the Amazon, as a model, this study evaluates how collecting deficits affect knowledge and species richness in Amazonas state, Brazil. We addressed which regions have the largest gaps in Clusia records, how collecting intensity over time influenced knowledge of Clusia diversity, and which species with restricted distribution may be vulnerable. Occurrence data (1052 records) from SpeciesLink and GBIF were filtered and taxonomically standardized. Spatial distribution was analyzed with density maps, dividing the state into 413 cells of 0.6° × 0.6° (4356 km 2 ). Temporal trends were evaluated in R (1950–2020). We confirmed 46 species. Records concentrate in five municipalities, with Manaus accounting for 35.4%. Of 413 cells, 293 (81.3%) lack records (~1,276,308 km 2 ). Collecting efforts peaked in the 1990s, then declined. Four new records for Amazonas are reported: C. steyermarkii , C. hoffmannseggiana , C. loretensis , and C. melchiorii . These biases underestimate diversity and hinder conservation. Increasing field collections, strengthening herbaria, and investing in taxonomic training are essential to reduce deficits for Clusia and other Amazonian plants.
ABSTRACT Ardisia colorata Loddiges et al. 1821 has remained largely taxonomically neglected, likely overlooked until the 21st century. Its absence from the printed editions of the Index Kewensis as well as from Indian floristic literature is notable. The name likely falls within the category of “gray literature” which historically escaped systematic indexing and was therefore easily overlooked. The epithet “ colorata ” was independently adopted by Link (1821) and Roxburgh and Wallich (1824), resulting in a complex nomenclatural situation. Consequently, the identity of Loddiges' species has remained obscure and no authentic material has been confirmed from India since its original description. Here, we reassess the identity of A. colorata G. Lodd. through a critical examination of its protologue, lectotype illustration, historical literature and newly collected material from Assam, India. Our findings demonstrate that Roxburgh's A. colorata is a later homonym of Link's name and is therefore illegitimate, while subsequent taxonomic treatments have frequently conflated these distinct entities. The recollection of A. colorata G. Lodd. establishes its recurrence in northeastern India and provides new evidence for a more precise circumscription of the species. This study settled the longstanding taxonomic ambiguity surrounding the species, particularly those influenced by William Roxburgh's taxonomic concept, and underscores the importance of re‐examining early nineteenth‐century horticultural taxa through the lens of contemporary systematic research.
ABSTRACT Acantholimon wilhelminae was described in 1974 from northwestern Iran and has remained poorly known, with its taxonomic distinctness subsequently questioned because only A. bracteatum was observed at the type locality. Here, we reassess A. wilhelminae based on examination of type material and herbarium specimens, together with field observations and newly collected material from northwestern Iran. The newly examined populations reveal substantial intraspecific variation in inflorescence architecture and flower number, including both compact and more distantly arranged spikelets, up to 12 flowers per spikelet, and occasional zigzagging of the inflorescence axis. These variable features occur without appreciable variation in the principal diagnostic characters and are interpreted as intraspecific variation. Comparison with A. gabrieljanae , A. bracteatum , and A. cephalotes confirms the morphological distinctness of A. wilhelminae . The species is most closely allied to A. gabrieljanae , particularly in its spicate inflorescences and bracteole morphology, but differs in a combination of vegetative and stem characters, including substantially longer summer leaves and peduncles and thicker flowering stems; the flowering axis also remains intact and comparatively robust at the fruiting stage, unlike the fragile axis of A. gabrieljanae .
ABSTRACT Open biodiversity records support botanical research, but their spatial coverage and taxonomic representation remain uneven. This study mapped plant occurrence documentation across Brazil using GBIF records dated from 2000 to 2025 for Angiosperms, Gymnosperms, Pteridophytes, and Bryophytes. Screening retained present occurrences with coordinates and without GBIF geospatial issue flags. Screened records were assigned to an equal‐area grid comprising 3400 cells of 50 km across six official biomes. Documentation was summarized using C2, an author‐developed procedure grouping records sharing taxonomic, temporal, geographic, and source information. Angiosperms contributed over 92% of records and clusters. Undocumented cells represented 87.8% of the grid for Gymnosperms, 77.5% for Bryophytes, 47.1% for Pteridophytes, and 10.6% for Angiosperms. Pronounced gaps occurred for Gymnosperms and Bryophytes in the Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal. The Atlantic Forest had the highest median documentation and source‐representation values; the Amazon had the lowest. Restriction to preserved specimens retained the country‐level ordering of undocumented‐cell proportions, whereas observations changed some comparisons. Across 25–, 50–, and 100‐km grids, undocumented‐cell proportions declined with increasing cell size, while retained territory varied. These patterns describe accessible documentation rather than biological absence. The framework supports collection review, digitisation, and data mobilization, with survey decisions additionally informed by known taxonomic distributions.
