Taxonomic revision of the Paepalanthus trichophyllus complex (Poales, Eriocaulaceae) with the description of two new species
Abstract
We revise the Paepalanthus trichophyllus species complex using multivariate morphological analyses, leading to a redefinition of species boundaries, clarification of nomenclature and taxonomy, and the description of two new species: P. linearilaminatus L.E.F.Silva sp. nov. and P. rollimae L.E.F.Silva sp. nov. Paepalanthus trichophyllus is now circumscribed as occurring in south-western Minas Gerais and south-eastern Goiás. Despite this narrower range, the species continues to exhibit substantial morphological variability, particularly in floral structures and stem morphology. For P. trichophyllus, we provide a second-step lectotype and a new synonym (P. canescens f. angustifolia). The new species P. linearilaminatus occurs in the center to south of Bahia and is mainly distinguished by its linear leaves and oblanceolate floral bracts, while P. rollimae occurs in Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park and its surroundings in Goiás, being mostly characterized by its elliptical or elliptical-lanceolate leaf blades, rounded spathe apices, and discoid capitula. The geographical isolation and consistent morphological traits of P. linearilaminatus and P. rollimae support their recognition as distinct species. This study contributes to the taxonomic understanding of Paepalanthus diversity in Brazil and highlights the rich biodiversity of the Cerrado domain.
References
Andrino C.O., Costa F.N., Simon M.F., Missagia R.V. & Sano P.T. 2023. Eriocaulaceae: A new classification system based on morphological evolution and molecular evidence. Taxon 72 (3): 515−549. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12915
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. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.150.2109
Bánki O., Roskov Y., Döring M., Ower G., Hernández Robles D.R., Plata Corredor C.A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen T., Örn A., Vandepitte L., Hobern D., Schalk P., DeWalt R.E., Ma K., Miller J., Orrell T., Aalbu R., Abbott J., Adlard R., Aedo C. et al. 2024. Catalogue of Life (Version 2024-02-22). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dfvll
Bánki O., Roskov Y., Döring M., Ower G., Hernández Robles D.R., Plata Corredor C.A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen T., Örn A., Pape T., Hobern D., Garnett S., Little H., DeWalt R.E., Miller J., Orrell T., Aalbu R., Abbott J., Abreu C., Acero P. A. et al. 2025. Catalogue of Life (2025-10-10 XR). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgtpl
Bongard A.G.H. 1831. Essai monographique sur les espèces dʼEriocaulon du Brésil. Mémoires de lʼAcadémie Impériale des Sciences de St-Pétersbourg, Série 6, Sciences Mathématiques 1: 601–655.
Cabrini M., Lira C., Suyama Y., Takahashi D., Ishikawa N., Paglia I. & Trovó M. 2024. Genomic and morphological data reveal a critically endangered new species from the Atlantic Forest, Paepalanthus salimenae (Eriocaulaceae). Phytotaxa 655 (2): 173−181. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.655.2.5
Christenhusz M.J.M., Berg C., Byng J.W. & Chase M.W. 2020. Proposal to conserve Paepalanthus nom. cons. against the additional name, Tonina (Eriocaulaceae). Taxon 69 (5): 1109−1110. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12333
Echternacht L., Soldevila A. & Beirão M. 2020. Reestablishment and recircumscription of Paepalanthus elatus (Eriocaulaceae, Poales), a threatened micro-endemic species from northern Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Phytotaxa 440 (2): 171–185. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.440.2.6
Giulietti A.M. & Hensold N. 1990. Padrões de distribuição geográfica dos gêneros de Eriocaulaceae. Acta Botanica Brasilica 4: 133–158. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-33061990000100010
Giulietti A.M., Andrade M.J.G., Scatena V.L., Trovó M., Coan A.I., Sano P.T., Santos F.A.R. & van den Berg C. 2012. Molecular phylogeny, morphology and their implications for the taxonomy of Eriocaulaceae. Rodriguésia 63 (1): 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1590/S2175-78602012000100001
IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1. 2nd Edition. IUCN Species Survival Commission. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, United Kingdom. Available from https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/categories-and-criteria [accessed 28 Nov. 2025]
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. Available from https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/redlistguidelines [accessed 1 Jul. 2024].
Körnicke F.A. 1863. Eriocaulaceae In: Martius K.F.P. & Eichler A.G. (eds) Flora Brasiliensis, Vol. 3: 271–508. Fleisher, Munich. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.454
Kuntze O. 1891. Revisio Generum Plantarum, Vol. 2. A. Felix, Leipzig.
Martius C.F.P. & Eichler A.W. (eds) 1863. Flora Brasiliensis, Vol. 3 (1). Royal Typography, Munich.
McNeill J. 2014. Holotype specimens and type citations: General issues. Taxon 63 (5): 1112–1113. https://doi.org/10.12705/635.7
Moldenke H.N. 1977. Additional notes on the Eriocaulaceae LXVII. Phytologia 35: 252–264.
Mori S., Berkov A., Gracie C.A. & Hecklau E.F. 2011. Tropical Plant Collecting: From the Field to the Internet. TECC, Florianópolis, Brazil.
Myers N., Mittermeier R.A., Mittermeier C.G., da Fonseca G.A.B. & Kent J. 2000. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403: 853–858. https://doi.org/10.1038/35002501
Picanço W.L. 2018. Taxonomia Integrativa do complexo Paepalanthus aequalis (Eriocaulaceae). Master thesis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro.
QGIS Development Team 2024. QGIS Geographic Information System. QGIS Software. Available from https://www.qgis.org [accessed 3 Dec. 2025].
Radford A.E., Dickson W.C., Massey J.R. & Bell C.R. 1974. Vascular Plant Systematics. Harper & Row Pub, New York.
Ribeiro J.F. & Walter B.M.T. 2008. As principais fitofisionomias do bioma Cerrado. In: Sano S.M., de Almeida S.D. & Ribeiro J.F. (eds) Cerrado: Ecologia e Flora: 151–212. Embrapa.
Ruhland W. 1903. Eriocaulaceae. In: Engler A. (ed.) Das Pflanzenreich. Regni Vegetabilis Conspectus, IV. 30: 1–294. Engelmann, Leipzig.
Silva L.E.F. & Trovó M. 2020. Notes on an overlooked Paepalanthus (Eriocaulaceae) from central Brazil: identity, taxonomic placement, and morphological details. Phytotaxa 442 (1): 033–038. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.442.1.5
Silva L.E.F. & Trovó M. 2021. Unraveling the identity of Paepalanthus decorus (Eriocaulaceae). Phytotaxa 518 (3): 231−238. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.518.3.5
Silva L.E.F., Ramos R., Tajima A.S., Teixeira A.M., Gomes P.W.P., Borges R.M., Coan A.I. & Trovó M. 2025. Reestablishing Paepalanthus babyloniensis (Paepalanthoideae, Eriocaulaceae): taxonomic, anatomical and chemical evidence. Phytotaxa 711 (2): 131–143. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.711.2.4
Strassburg B.B.N., Brooks T.M., Feltran-Barbieri R., Iribarrem A., Crouzeilles R., Loyola R., Latawiec A.E., Oliveira Filho F.J.B., Scaramuzza C.A. de M., Scarano F.R., Soares-Filho B. & Balmford A. 2017. Moment of truth for the Cerrado hotspots. Nature Ecology & Evolution 1 (7): 1103–1105. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-017-0099
Stuessy T.F. 1990. Plant Taxonomy, the Systematic Evaluation of Comparative Data. Columbia University, Press New York.
Stützel T. & Trovó M. 2013. Inflorescences in Eriocaulaceae: taxonomic relevance and practical implications. Annals of Botany 12: 1505–1522. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mct234
Stützel T., Trovó M., Echternacht L., Coan A.I., Silva A.L., Watanabe M.T.C. & Hensold N. 2024. In support of a broad concept of Paepalanthus (Eriocaulaceae). Taxon 73 (5): 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.13221
Thiers B. 2025. Index Herbariorum: A global directory of public herbaria and associated staff. New York Botanical Garden’s Virtual Herbarium. Available from http://sweetgum.nybg.org/ih/ [accessed 2 Mar. 2024].
Trovó M. & Sano P.T. 2010. Taxonomic survey of Paepalanthus section Diphyomene (Eriocaulaceae). Phytotaxa 14 (1): 49–55. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.14.1.4
Trovó M., Stützel T., Scatena V.L. & Sano P.T. 2010. Morphology and anatomy of inflorescence and inflorescence axis in Paepalanthus sect. Diphyomene Ruhland (Eriocaulaceae, Poales) and its taxonomic implications. Flora 205 (4): 242–250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2009.02.005
Trovó M., Andrade M.J.G., Sano P.T., Ribeiro P.L. & van den Berg C. 2013a. Molecular phylogenetics and biogeography of Neotropical Paepalanthoideae with emphasis on Brazilian Paepalanthus (Eriocaulaceae). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 171 (1): 225–243. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.2012.01310.x
Trovó M., Echternacht L. & Sano P. 2013b. Distribution and conservation of Paepalanthus Mart. sect. Diphyomene Ruhland (Eriocaulaceae) in Neotropical savannas. Adansonia 35 (2): 195−206. https://doi.org/10.5252/a2013n2a2
Turland N.J., Wiersema J.H., Barrie F.R., Gandhi K.N., Gravendyck J., Greuter W., Hawksworth D.L., Herendeen P.S., Klopper R.R., Knapp S., Kusber W.-H., Li D.-Z., May T.W., Monro A.M., Prado J., Price M.J., Smith G.F. & Carlos Zamora Señoret J. 2025. International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi, and Plants (Madrid Code) Accepted by the Twentieth International Botanical Congress, Madrid, Spain, July 2024. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London. https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226839479.001.0001
Watanabe M.T.C. 2009. Análise morfométrica e variabilidade morfológica em populações de Syngonanthus nitens (Bong.) Ruhland (Eriocaulaceae). Master thesis, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo.
Weberling F. 1989. Morphology of Flowers and Inflorescences. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lucas Espindola Florêncio da Silva, Marcelo Trovó
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Creative Commons Copyright Notices
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are NOT PERMITTED to post their submitted work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on personal websites) prior to publication, as it may lead to nomenclatural issues.
