Antecedentes: En Cuba los estudios de distribución del género Dendrophthora se restringen a la distribución geográfica y por formaciones vegetales de sus especies, con mención de preferencias por algún hospedero. La presencia de numerosos especímenes de herbario, junto al trabajo de campo, permite actualizar el tratamiento taxonómico y por lo tanto el área de distribución de sus especies. Preguntas: ¿Cuáles son los patrones que caracterizan a las especies de Dendrophthora en su área de distribución en Cuba (distribución por regiones, hábitat, gradiente altitudinal y afinidad por hospederos)? Especies estudiadas: especies del género Dendrophthora. Sitio y año de estudio: Cuba, 1914-2025. Métodos: Se georreferenciaron los registros de presencia de las especies y de cada una se determinó la distribución geográfica por macrorregiones y regiones, así como la altitud, por formaciones vegetales y las relaciones con sus hospederos. Resultados: Las 26 especies de Dendrophthora en Cuba están distribuidas por todo el país, con 12 endemismos y las nativas están compartidas con otras Antillas. La mayoría de sus especies presentan un amplio rango de distribución altitudinal y habitan en el matorral xeromorfo subespinoso sobre serpentina y el bosque pluvial montano. La polifagia es predominante y todas las especies prefieren hospederos endémicos. Conclusiones: Se actualizó el área de distribución de Dendrophthora en Cuba, se obtuvieron los mapas de distribución geográfica actual para todas sus especies, la altitud en la que se encuentran y se reevaluó su presencia en las formaciones vegetales. Se determinaron los patrones de afinidad y preferencias por sus hospederos.

The systematics of the seven species of the Leucandra clade of Miconia, traditionally considered within Clidemia, is investigated, and taxonomically revised, with the inclusion of descriptions, nomenclatural information, specimen citations, and eco-geographical characterizations, along with an identification key. The clade represents a portion of the phylogenetic diversity of Miconia sect. Sagraea, a group characterized by axillary, 4-merous flowers with elongate calyx teeth and short-stalked, gland-headed hairs with furrows separating the cells of the glandular-head. The species of the Leucandra clade are additionally characterized by distinctly pedunculate, but rather reduced, usually few-flowered inflorescences, and small flowers with recurved, oblong petals. The Leucandra clade is restricted to Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico, and it represents the smaller of two major radiations of sect. Sagraea within the Greater Antilles. Lectotypes are selected for the following names: Clidemia capituliflora Cogn., C. cubensis Cogn., C. leucandra C. Wright ex Griseb., C. leucandra var. divaricata C. Wright ex Griseb., C. oligantha Urb., C. trichotoma C. Wright ex Griseb., Ossaea trichopetala C. Wright, Sagraea macrandra C. Wright, Sagraea domingensis DC., and the second step lectotype is designated for Staphidiastrum rubrinerve Naudin.

Thirteen new flowering plant species are recorded for the flora of Cuba, belonging to eight families. Of these species, Ilex krugiana (Aquifoliaceae) is native to Cuba, while Centratherum punctatum, Crassocephalum crepidioides, Galinsoga quadriradiata, Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides, Unxia suffruticosa (Asteraceae), Hackelia deflexa (Boraginaceae), Tripogandra serrulata (Commelinaceae), Hewittia malabarica (Convolvulaceae), Arachis pintoi, Flemingia macrophylla (Fabaceae), Alpinia calcarata (Zingiberaceae) and Tribulus terrestris (Zygophyllaceae) are naturalized exotics in the country.

The fundamental value of universal nomenclatural systems in biology is that they enable unambiguous scientific communication. However, the stability of these systems is threatened by recent discussions asking for a fairer nomenclature, raising the possibility of bulk revision processes for "inappropriate" names. It is evident that such proposals come from very deep feelings, but we show how they can irreparably damage the foundation of biological communication and, in turn, the sciences that depend on it. There are four essential consequences of objective codes of nomenclature: universality, stability, neutrality, and transculturality. These codes provide fair and impartial guides to the principles governing biological nomenclature and allow unambiguous universal communication in biology. Accordingly, no subjective proposals should be allowed to undermine them.

The West Indies can be considered as a laboratory of biogeography and evolution, and the Caribbean Islands constitute one of the planet's biodiversity hotspots. Within the region, Cuba is the largest island and is crucial to gaining an understanding of the origin and evolutionary history of Caribbean flora and fauna. This paper provides an introduction to a Special Issue of the Biological Journal of the Linnean Society on current Cuban plant and animal biodiversity, with an emphasis on evolutionary biology and biogeography. The present issue includes 10 contributions and addresses a wide diversity of species and taxonomic groups, study levels, and research tools. This collection of articles not only provides an integrative vision of Cuba's biodiversity and the potential patterns and processes involved in its evolutionary history, but could also provide food for future research on its biodiversity from an evolutionary perspective.

The Greater Antilles are renowned as a biodiversity hotspot and known to be geologically complex, which has led, in part, to the generation of organismal diversity in this area. One of the most species-rich montane groups within the Greater Antilles is the tribe Miconieae (Miconia s.l.) of the Melastomataceae, with ca. 325 species found there. The most diverse clade of Miconia in the Caribbean, the Caribbean clade, composes roughly half of that diversity, with an estimated 160 species, nearly all of which are endemic to the Greater Antilles. It is unclear how that diversity has been generated through time or where it originated, but we now have sufficiently well-sampled and robust datasets to test these patterns. Using a custom-built plastome dataset, we generated a robust phylogenetic hypothesis for 106 of the 160 Caribbean clade members and tested biogeographical patterns among the islands. Our results suggest that the Caribbean clade originated in the mid-Miocene, probably from a South American ancestor, and diversified substantially on the island of Cuba before repeatedly dispersing across other parts of the Greater Antilles, especially into nearby Hispaniola and then, to a lesser extent, into Jamaica, Puerto Rico and, finally, into the Lesser Antilles.

The only Mahonia species found in Cuba is investigated. Although known since the nineteenth century, it has previously been identified as Mahonia tenuifolia (or its synonym Berberis fraxinifolia), otherwise found in Mexico. The Cuban species is shown to differ inter alia from the Mexican species by its leaf shape and texture, shorter racemes and pedicels, and greater number of ovules. The habitat and distribution of the species are described. Mahonia tenuifolia and Berberis fraxinifolia are also lectotypified.

Evolutionary biologists recognize that understanding the phylogenetic history of closely related species is challenging without considering their population genetics history. The taxonomy of Magnolia sect. Talauma in Cuba has long been debated, with several changes in taxon delimitations. All these taxonomic revisions were based exclusively on leaf morphological characteristics of a few individuals, limiting their ability to elucidate taxon boundaries. Recent studies have focused on conservation genetics and species delimitation of Cuban magnolias, based on ecological, morphological and genetic data. Here, we use full plastome sequences and microsatellite data to infer phylogenetic relationships and potential historical migration events among species in Magnolia sect. Talauma in Cuba. Bayesian phylogeny and TreeMix were used to understand the phylogenetic relationships. Based on this, Magnolia sect. Talauma in Cuba does not comprise a monophyletic group. The data continue to show a highly supported unresolved species complex in the taxa of Magnolia subsect. Talauma from north-eastern Cuba. From a taxonomic point of view, our results do not entirely support the most recent taxonomic review proposed for the family in Cuba.

The taxonomy of Magnolia subsect. Talauma in Cuba has long been debated with many changes in the last few years. New evidence based on ecological, morphological and genetic data has indicated the occurrence of three taxa, with changes in the limits from the latest taxonomic treatment. In this sense, the taxonomy and nomenclature of Magnolia subsect. Talauma in Cuba is reviewed. Diagnoses of all taxa are presented with an identification key, nomenclatural information and distribution. Magnolia subsect. Talauma in Cuba comprises three endemic species: Magnolia orbiculata, M. minor and M. oblongifolia. Magnolia orbiculata is the only species that keeps the same limits as in the previous taxonomic treatments of the group, whereas it is not the same for the northeastern Cuban species.

Phylogenetic analyses show that a group of species of Miconia (Melastomataceae: Miconieae) from the Greater Antilles all form a clade. They share the presence of backward-deflexed filaments with the entire androecium turning pink to red after anthesis and placentation reduced axile to basal. Additionally, many of these species are deciduous, and have fruits with few and relatively large seeds. These species have until recently been recognized in Calycogonium, Miconia, Ossaea and Pachyanthus. The group is composed of 14 species, two from Puerto Rico and 12 from Cuba, including the newly described M. matosiana. We formally describe this clade as M. sect. Liogieria and provide a revision of its species, including an identification key, descriptions, maps and photographs or illustrations for all of them. Twelve names are typified: Calycogonium clidemioides Griseb., C. rosmarinifolium Griseb., Charianthus obliquus Griseb., Graffenrieda obtusa Griseb., Miconia baracoensis Urb., M. cerasiflora Urb., M. cerasiflora var. setulifera Urb., M. confusa Cogn., M. obtusa f. glabrior Urb., M. pachyphylla Cogn., M. thomasiana DC. and M. vernicosa Naudin.

An accurate taxa delimitation, based on a full understanding of evolutionary processes involved in taxa differentiation, can be gained from a combination of ecological, morphological, and molecular approaches. The taxonomy of Magnoliasubsect.Talauma in Cuba has long been debated and exclusively based on traditional morphological study of a limited number of individuals. A more accurate description of leaf morphology variation using geometric morphometrics combined with genetic data could bring consistency to taxa delimitation in this group. Leaf samples for the morphological (243) and genetic (461) analyses were collected throughout the entire distribution range. The variability of each taxon was analyzed through multivariate and geometric morphometry, and 21 genetic markers (SSR). The observed leaf morphological variability was higher than previously described. Morphological and genetic classifications were highly congruent in two out of four taxa. Our data brought evidence that Magnoliaorbiculata can be considered a true species with very clear genetic and morphological limits. The main taxonomic issues concern the north-eastern Cuban populations of Magnoliasubsect.Talauma. The data supported the existence of two clear groups: corresponding mainly to M.minor-M.oblongifolia and T.ophiticola. However, these two groups cannot be considered fully delimited since genetic markers provided evidence of genetic admixture between them. Due to the likely absence of, at least strong, reproductive barriers between these three taxa, we propose therefore to consider them as a species complex.

A taxonomic revision to Portulaca (Portulacaceae) in Cuba is presented. Fourteen species are recognized: 11 native (one endemic), one naturalized, and two cultivated. Portulaca avinoamii García-Beltrán is proposed as a new name for P. tuberculata (Danin & H.G. Baker) Danin (non P. tuberculata León). The lectotypes for 21 names of Portulaca are designated: P. biloba, P. brevifolia, P. cubensis, P. elatior, P. erecta, P. gagatosperma, P. grandiflora, P. halimoides var. brevipilosa, P. martinicensis, P. microphylla, P. nana, P. paucistaminata, P. phaeosperma, P. poliosperma, P. poliosperma var. bistigmatata, P. poliosperma var. cubensis, P. poliosperma var. minor, P. procumbens, P. rubricaulis, P. teretifolia and P. umbraticola. The second step lectotype of P. coronata is designated. Four new synonyms for P. biloba are presented: Portulaca poliosperma var. cubensis, P. poliosperma var. tristigmatata, P. poliosperma var. bistigmatata and P. cinerea, and one new synonym for P. pilosa is proposed: Portulaca halimoides var. brevipilosa. An identification key for all species is presented, and updated descriptions, nomenclatural information, geographic distributions, citation of all specimens examined, and habitat descriptions for all the species are included here.

A taxonomic revision to Portulaca (Portulacaceae) in Cuba is presented. Fourteen species are recognized: 11 native (one endemic), one naturalized, and two cultivated. Portulaca avinoamii García-Beltrán is proposed as a new name for P. tuberculata (Danin & H.G. Baker) Danin (non P. tuberculata León). The lectotypes for 21 names of Portulaca are designated: P. biloba , P. brevifolia , P. cubensis , P. elatior , P. erecta , P. gagatosperma , P. grandiflora , P. halimoides var. brevipilosa , P. martinicensis , P. microphylla , P. nana , P. paucistaminata , P. phaeosperma , P. poliosperma , P. poliosperma var. bistigmatata , P. poliosperma var. cubensis , P. poliosperma var. minor , P. procumbens , P. rubricaulis, P. teretifolia and P. umbraticola . The second step lectotype of P. coronata is designated. Four new synonyms for P. biloba are presented: Portulaca poliosperma var. cubensis , P. poliosperma var. tristigmatata , P. poliosperma var. bistigmatata and P. cinerea , and one new synonym for P. pilosa is proposed: Portulaca halimoides var. brevipilosa . An identification key for all species is presented, and updated descriptions, nomenclatural information, geographic distributions, citation of all specimens examined, and habitat descriptions for all the species are included here.

Miconia rufa is considered an endemic species complex from the eastern Cuban mountains, which includes M. plumieriifolia , a taxonomic decision based on the review of only a few herbarium specimens. Recent collections of this taxa allowed the verification of the foliar shape and size differences between populations of Sierra Maestra and Toa ranges, which indicated the need for a more detailed study regarding this subject. In the current paper, we characterized and morphometrically compared leaves among northeast and southwest groups of eastern Cuba, to provide elements that clarify their delimitation. We analyzed 361 leaves from 45 individuals from different herbaria, the length, maximum width and leaf area were measured, and the shape was described by internal angles, shape indexes, landmarks and Fourier contour descriptors. To characterize environmental conditions of source localities, we extracted bioclimatic models and remote sensing data, a set of variables including mean and annual maximum temperatures, precipitations, altitude, slope, tree cover, NDVI, aridity index and evapotranspiration potential from maps. Populations from northeast and southwest parts were statistically different in length and shape of leaves. Except for the type locality of each name, the rest were not markedly different in environmental conditions, but morphometric differences in leaves were associated with environmental differences. Individuals from the Gran Piedra mountain range show extremes properties. Morphometric characteristics from the type collection of M. rufa and M. plumieriifolia were not representative of all population spatial variability, therefore other studies are required to clarify the origin of these spatial morphometric patterns in the leaves differences of this species complex. Citation: Felipe, F.L., Becquer, E.R. & Teste, E. 2021. Variacion espacial de la morfologia foliar del complejo de especies Miconia rufa ( Melastomataceae : Miconieae ). Revista Jard. Bot. Nac. Univ. Habana 42: 225-242. Received: 5 February 2021. Accepted: 28 June 2021. Online: 5 November 2021. Editor: Jose Angel Garcia-Beltran.