Collected but undetected for more than a century: A new species of Eryngium (Apiaceae, Saniculoideae) from Cordillera de Amambay, Paraguay

ESQUIVEL MATTOS, P.; CALVIÑO, C. I.

SYSTEMATIC BOTANY

AMER SOC PLANT TAXONOMISTS

Lugar: Laramie; Año: 2022 vol. 47

0363-6445

We report Eryngium absconditum, a new species from Cordillera de Amambay, an area that belongs to the biodiversity hotspot of the Cerrado in Paraguay. The species has been collected more than a century ago, but the collections remained unnoticed and misidentified until now. We describe, illustrate and provide information on geographical distribution and habitat of the new species. We also analyze and illustrate the morphological characteristics that differentiate it from Eryngium rojasii and E. paraguariense, the most similar species to the new. This study highlights the importance of Amambay as an area rich in endemic plant species and the need for continued taxonomic studies and the establishment of regional conservation policies for this region with its biodiversity under threat.