Jamesbondia, a new subgenus of Alternanthera (Gomphrenoideae, Amaranthaceae) from Central America and the Caribbean Islands

Abstract

Jamesbondia is formally proposed here as a new subgenus of Alternanthera, a large Neotropical genus, with four species [A. costaricensis Kuntze, A. geniculata Urb., A. olivacea Urb., and A. serpyllifolia (Poir.) Urb.], mostly found in Central America and the Caribbean Islands. In a recent phylogeny using internal transcribed spacer (ITS), trnL-F, and rpl16 data and samples of three of the four species listed above, an unpublished genus Jamesbondia was embedded within Alternanthera. The other three species (not A. costaricensis) clustered in a clade with 97% jackknife (JK) support. Here, to determine the position of A. costaricensis within Alternanthera and taxonomically revise the species in subgenus Jamesbondia, we analyzed ITS, trnL-F, and rpl16 data from GenBank accessions for 31 species and our new molecular data for A. costaricensis to reconstruct a phylogenetic tree confirming that A. costaricensis belongs to the Jamesbondia clade (88–97% JK; 0.88–1.0 posterior probability). Alternanthera costaricensis, Telanthera olivacea Urb., and Achyranthes serpyllifolia Poir. were lectotypified, and we document the distribution of A. costaricensis in Mexico for the first time. Insight from nomenclatural notes, taxonomic descriptions, morphological illustrations, distribution, and a key for species of Jamesbondia provided here will be used to propose a new subgeneric classification of Alternanthera.

Keywords:

• Alternanthera
• Caribbean
• Central America
• Jamesbondia
• new taxon
• typification

Acknowledgements

The first author offers special thanks to Thomas Borsch (B) for his support and guidance. Both authors thank the Directors and the Curators of the cited Herbaria for the permission in the consultation. Special thanks to Alonso Tellez for field assistance and support, to Manuel Pool (CICY) for taking the pictures, and to Gilbert Herrera (CICY) and Nayelli Trejo (CICY) for logistic help. The authors are also in gratitude to Luciana Camacho for the arrangement and design of the beautiful digital figures and invaluable help in the laboratory. This manuscript was enhanced by two anonymous reviewers and invaluable help from Dr Beth E.Hazen.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ciencia Básica CONACYT for I.S.P. [grant number 106994].