Summary
Three closely affiliated species of Heterospathe Scheff. (H. elegans (Becc.) Becc., H. humilis Becc. and H. versteegiana Becc.) from New Guinea are revised. They are reduced to a single species which is divided into two subspecies, and the new combination H. elegans subsp. humilis (Becc.) M. S. Trudgen & W. J. Baker is made. The subspecies can be readily distinguished by their growth habit. Epitypes are designated for the three previously published names, as informative material on the habit is not included in the existing type specimens. A new, potentially related species is described as H. pullenii M. S. Trudgen & W. J. Baker.
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Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the staff of AAU, BH, BRI, CANB, FI, L and LAE for providing access to material. Dick Brummitt provided invaluable nomenclatural guidance. Sara Contu assisted with translations from Italian to English. Melanie Thomas assisted with the Latin description. The plate was prepared by Lucy Smith. The research was conducted under the Palms of New Guinea Project, funded by the BAT Biodiversity Partnership.
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Trudgen, M.S., Baker, W.J. A revision of the Heterospathe elegans (Arecaceae) complex in New Guinea. Kew Bull 63, 639–647 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-008-9063-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-008-9063-5