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An updated synopsis of Aristolochia (Aristolochiaceae) in Guatemala

Brittonia (2022)Cite this article

Abstract

The taxonomy, nomenclature and chorology of the species of Aristolochia (Aristolochiaceae) present in Guatemala are updated and discussed with respect to their current infrageneric classification. Specimens of Aristolochia deposited in 46 herbaria were examined for the present research, including specimens collected by the authors. A key to the infrageneric groups and species (17 of which are illustrated by photographs) is included. A total of 20 species are here reported for Guatemala, one of which (A. belizensis) is a new record for Guatemala. The presence of A. cordiflora in Guatemala is discussed. Aristolochia belizensis, A. salvadorensis, A. schippii and A. surinamensis recently placed under the synonymy of A. ovalifolia, A. arborea, A. leuconeura and A. trilobata, respectively, are reinstated as distinct species. Seven lectotypes (for A. aurantiaca, A. glaziovii, A. odoratissima, A. odoratissima var. grandiflora, A. ovalifolia, A. petenensis, and A. sericea) and one neotype (for A. arborea) are here designated. The species of Aristolochia from Guatemala belong to two of the three monophyletic subgenera, namely subgenus Siphisia (7 spp.) and subgenus Aristolochia (13 spp.). The latter belong to subsection Hexandrae (12 spp.) and subsection Pentandrae (1 sp.); the locality of the sole pentandrous species (A. pentandra) in Guatemala corresponds to the southernmost range extension of the entire subsection in Central America.

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Acknowledgements

FG especially thanks Ing. Juan José Castillo Mont (herbario AGUAT, Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala) for all his collaboration during field and herbarium work in Guatemala. The authors are thankful to the curators of the herbaria cited for access to the collections examined for this study. Many thanks to N. L. Pabón-Mora (Universidad de Antioquia) for carefully preparing the plates that illustrate this work. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Cra. 30 No. 45-03, Bogotá, Colombia

    Favio González

  2. Centro de Estudios Ambientales y Biodiversidad, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, 18 Avenida 11-95 Zona 15, Vista Hermosa III, Guatemala City, Guatemala

    José Monzón-Sierra

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  1. Favio González
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  2. José Monzón-Sierra
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Correspondence to Favio González.

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González, F., Monzón-Sierra, J. An updated synopsis of Aristolochia (Aristolochiaceae) in Guatemala. Brittonia (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-022-09704-0

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Keywords

  • Flora of Guatemala
  • Flora Mesoamericana
  • Piperales
  • Siphisia
  • pentandrous Aristolochia