Reinstating Distimake potentilloides (Convolvulaceae): taxonomy, lectotypification, and distribution in northern Amazon

Authors

  • Fernanda Satori Petrongari Instituto de Pesquisas Ambientais https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8380-843X
  • Rosângela Simão-Bianchini Instituto de Pesquisas Ambientais
  • Ana Rita Giraldes Simões Missouri Botanical Garden

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.70782/heringeriana.v20ib.918115

Keywords:

Conservation, herbarium, morphology, nomenclature

Abstract

A comprehensive analysis of herbarium specimens of Distimake from Central and South America revealed the presence of more than one morphological type among specimens previously identified as Distimake quinquefolius. Further investigation, including the examination of historical names and type specimens treated as synonyms of D. quinquefolius, demonstrated the existence of a distinct but previously overlooked species. Here, we re-establish Distimake potentilloides as a separate species, with a relatively restricted distribution in the northern Amazon region. We provide an updated taxonomic description, lectotypification, discuss the diagnostic morphological characters that distinguish it from allied species, particularly D. cissoides and D. quinquefolius, and present a preliminary conservation assessment. In addition, we provide a key to all Distimake species occurring in the Guiana Shield.

References

Alexander, S. (2011) Making sense of the Schomburgk expeditions. Plant Press 14 (2): 1, 9–11.

Austin, D.F. (2007) Convolvulaceae. In: Funk, V.A., Berry, P., Alexander, S., Hollowell, T.H. & Kelloff, C.L. (Eds.) Checklist of the plants of the Guiana Shield (Venezuela: Amazonas, Bolivar, Delta Amacuro; Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana). National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, pp. 248–255.

Austin, D.F. & Cavalcante, P.B. (1982) Convolvuláceas da Amazônia. Publicações Avulsas do Museu Goeldi 36: 1–134.

Bachman, S., Moat, J., Hill, A.W., de la Torre, J. & Scott, B. (2011) Supporting Red List threat assessments with GeoCAT: geospatial conservation assessment tool. In: Smith, V. & Penev, L. (Eds.) e-Infrastructures for data publishing in biodiversity science. ZooKeys 150: 117–126. DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.150.2109

Beentje, H.J. (2016) The Kew Plant Glossary: An Illustrated Dictionary of Plant Identification Terms. 2nd Edition. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, 200 pp.

Ferrer-Pereira, H., Vivas-Arroyo, Y., Hokche, O., Nozawa, S., Pérez-Cortéz, S., Rodríguez, L. & Estrada-Sánchez, J. (2010) The genus Merremia (Convolvulaceae) in Venezuela. Rodriguésia 61 (4): 639–660. DOI: 10.1590/2175-7860201061406

Hallier, H.J.G. (1893) Versuch einer natürlichen Gliederung der Convolvulaceen auf morphologischer und anatomischer Grundlage. Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 16: 453–591.

Hijmans, R.J., Guarino, L. & Mathur, P. (2012) DIVA-GIS. Version 7.5. A geographic information system for the analysis of species distribution data. Available from: diva-gis.org (accessed 7 June 2026).

Index Herbariorum (2026) Index Herbariorum: A global directory of public herbaria and associated staff. New York Botanical Garden. https://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih/ (accessed 7 June 2026).

IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee (2024) Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 16. Prepared by the Standards and Petitions Committee. Downloadable from https://www.iucnredlist.org/documents/RedListGuidelines.pdf.

McDonald, A. (1993) Flora de Veracruz. Fascículo 73: Convolvulaceae I. Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Xalapa / University of California, Riverside, 99 pp.

Meisner, C.F. (1869) Convolvulaceae. In: Martius, C.P.F. & Eichler, A.G. (Eds.) Flora Brasiliensis, vol. 7. Frid. Fleischer, Monachii and Lipsiae, pp. 199–370, t. 72–124.

O’Donell, C.A. (1941) Revisión de las especies americanas de Merremia (Convolvulaceae). Lilloa 6: 467–554.

Petrongari, F.S. & Simões, A.R. (2020) Distimake. In: Flora do Brasil 2020. Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. Available from: https://floradobrasil2020.jbrj.gov.br/FB603005 (accessed 16 august 2026).

Petrongari, F. S., Faria Jr, J. E. Q., da Costa Moreira, A. L., Simões, A. R. G., & Simão-Bianchini, R. (2026). Distimake caespitosus (Convolvulaceae), a new erect species from the Brazilian Cerrado. Brittonia, 78(1), 39-46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12228-025-09857-8

Pittier, H. (1943) Una contribución más al estudo de la flora venezolana. Boletín de la Sociedad Venezolana de Ciencias Naturales 8 (54): 135–145.

Radford, A.E., Dickison, W.C., Massey, J.R. & Bell, C.R. (1974) Vascular Plant Systematics. Harper & Row, New York, 891 pp.

Rivière, P. (Ed.) (2006) The Guiana Travels of Robert Schomburgk, 1835–1844. Volumes I & II. Hakluyt Society, London, 406 pp. [Vol. I] + 266 pp. [Vol. II].

Simão-Bianchini, R., Ferreira, P.P.A. & Pastore, M. (2015) Convolvulaceae. In: Lista de Espécies da Flora do Brasil. Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro. Available from: https://ckan.jbrj.gov.br/dataset/floradobrasil (accessed 16 august 2026).

Simões, A.R., Culham, A. & Carine, M. (2015) Resolving the unresolved tribe: a molecular phylogenetic framework for Merremieae (Convolvulaceae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 179 (3): 374–387. DOI: 10.1111/boj.12339

Simões, A.R. & Staples, G. (2017) Dissolution of Convolvulaceae tribe Merremieae and a new classification of the constituent genera. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 183 (4): 561–586. DOI: 10.1093/botlinnean/box007

Simões, A.R. & More, S. (2018) Synopsis and lectotypification of Distimake rhyncorhiza (Dalzell) Simões & Staples (Convolvulaceae): a little known species from the Western Ghats (India). Phytotaxa 336 (3): 293–298. DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.336.3.8

Stafleu, F.A. & Cowan, R.S. (1976–1988) Taxonomic literature: a selective guide to botanical publications and collections with dates, commentaries and types. 2nd Edition. Bohn, Scheltema & Holkema, Utrecht.

Staples, G.W. (2017) World Checklist of Convolvulaceae. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Available from: kew.org (accessed 7 June 2026).

van Dam, J. A. C. (2002). The guyanan plant collections of Robert and Richard Schomburgk. (Fl.of the Guianas, Suppl.Series ed.) Royal Botanic Gardens. 211 p.

Downloads

Published

2026-09-12

How to Cite

Petrongari, F. S., Simão-Bianchini, R., & Simões, A. R. G. (2026). Reinstating Distimake potentilloides (Convolvulaceae): taxonomy, lectotypification, and distribution in northern Amazon. Heringeriana, 20(1b), e918115. https://doi.org/10.70782/heringeriana.v20ib.918115

Issue

Section

Special issues

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.