Nicotiana gandarela Augsten & Stehmann (Solanaceae), sp. nov., a small ’tobacco’ known only from one locality at Serra do Gandarela, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically characterized by its rosulate basal leaves, red corolla with a short tube not inflated at the apex, and the peculiar habitat, a shaded site under a rocky outcrop ledge along a forested stream. Phylogenetic analyses based on a combined dataset of nuclear (ITS) and plastid (ndhF, trnLF, and trnSG) DNA sequences revealed that the species belongs to the Nicotiana sect. Alatae and is sister to the clade with the remaining species in the section. A key for the identification of Brazilian species of the section is given. The unusual habitat, the small population size, and the intense pressure of mining activities in the surroundings made the species assessed as Critically Endangered (CR), needing conservation efforts to avoid its extinction.
Lychnophora osanyiniana is a new species from “campos rupestres”, a Brazilian savanna ecosystem constantly threatened by agriculture and mining, despite it having a high number of plant species, particularly endemic and microendemic species. The new species was collected from Sítio Serra da Rita, Serra dos Alves, municipality of Itabira, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The species is recognized by its glomerulate capitulescence with subinvolucral bracts surrounding sessile heads, giving the appearance of a single head. Another distinct character, although it is not exclusive, is an uniseriate pappus, shared by just three species, Lychnophora grisea, L. haplopappa and L. uniflora, of which only L. haplopappa has similar habit, becoming the closest species.
A new species, Mezilaurus conceicionensis (Lauraceae), from Southeastern Brazil, was discovered during fieldwork at Serra da Ferrugem, State of Minas Gerais. This new species is described and illustrated in this study, being distinguished from the remaining species of Mezilaurus species mostly by its globoid fruits. An identification key of the species of Mezilaurus from Southeastern Brazil is presented.
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