We present a new tribal classification, including one new tribe, Neospartoneae trib. nov., to accommodate three small genera of Argentine species (Diostea, Neosparton, and Lampaya). Phylogenetic inference suggests a South American origin for Verbenaceae, with approximately six colonization events having given rise to the Old World species.

Many of the characters traditionally employed in classification have proven to be very homoplastic, or have been shown not to support relationships within the family. Moreover, traditional assumptions concerning character polarity have in some cases been shown to be incorrect.

The present study describes the anatomical structure of calyx and leaf glands in Galphimia brasiliensis and analyzes the mechanism of secretion. The glands are marginal and suprabasal, cup-shaped, sessile, and scarcely visible with the naked eye. Light microscopy reveals the following features: a thin, smooth cuticle; unistratified secretory cells; subglandular parenchyma; and vascular bundle supply composed of phloem and xylem with abundant druses of calcium oxalate. Transmission electron microscopy reveals the presence of secretory cells with conspicuous nuclei, dense cytoplasm, lipid droplets, numerous vesicles, mitochondria, Golgi, rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), and elongated plastids with osmiophilic contents. The secretion reaches the apoplastic space and accumulates beneath the cuticle. Finally, the viscous, translucent exudate is eliminated by mechanical rupture of the cuticle. Histochemical analysis confirms that lipids are the main constituent. Small amounts of polysaccharides were also identified.

Lippia section Goniostachyum comprises plants distinguished by their numerous axillary florescences (three to six, sometimes up to nine) and tetrastichous floral bracts. Species of section Goniostachyum occur in the Neotropics, from Mexico to northern Argentina. Delimitation of the species grouped under Goniostachyum has remained unclear. Forty‐one names exist under this section, but only c. eight to ten names have been used frequently. To resolve the taxonomy of this group, a modified population aggregation analysis, based on the phylogenetic species concept, was employed. As a result, Goniostachyum is here circumscribed to only four species: L. grata, L. origanoides, L. sericea and L. stachyoides. These species are supported by different combinations of three characters of the 13 qualitative attributes analysed: canescent sericeous pubescence, frondose or frondose‐bracteose inflorescences and free or fused florescence apical bracts. Two varieties based on significant differences among quantitative characters are recognized: L. stachyoides var. stachyoides and L. stachyoides var. martiana comb. nov. Fifteen lectotypifications and four neotypifications are proposed. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 170, 197–219.

A taxonomic revision of the genus Tamonea is provided. Tamonea is a small genus of Verbenaceae, placed in the tribe Casselieae. It is represented by six species, distributed in tropical and temperate America, from Mexico and the Caribbean in the north, to Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia in the south. Four new combinations are introduced: Tamonea curassavica var. australis, T. curassavica var. cardenasii, T. curassavica var. parvifolia and T. curassavica var. yucatanensis; a new synonym is proposed for T. curassavica var. curassavica. The species Tamonea juncea is lectotypified. Detailed morphological descriptions are given for each taxon, in addition to a key for their identification, illustrations, actualized synonymy, distribution and specimens lists, as well as discussion about the relationship between closely related taxa.