A taxonomical study of the Chilean Stevia is herein presented since there is no agreement on current names and the number of species for Chile. A detailed morphological analysis of type and non-type specimens including new field observations was undertaken. In this work we recognized only one species of Stevia in Chile: S. philippiana. This species has a wide morphological variation mainly in leaf and pappus features. A lectotype of the name S. hyssopifolia was designated. Stevia hyssopifolia var. panulensis was regarded as a new synonym of S. philippiana. On the other hand, S. adenophora and S. chamaedrys were excluded from the Chilean flora. Finally, Porophyllym tarapacanum was excluded from the Tagetean genus Porophyllum and included as a new synonym of S. philippiana, too.
Stevia Cav. (Asteraceae, Eupatorieae) includes ca. 235 species distributed from United States of America to Chile and Argentina in South America. During the taxonomic revision of the Argentinian species several specimens belonging to Stevia mandonii Sch. Bip. were found in the province of Jujuy, where it had not been previously cited. In this framework, the goals of the present article are 1) to report the species in Argentina for the first time, 2) to differentiate it among morphologically close species, and 3) to perform a taxonomical analysis based on herbarium specimens, populations in the field, bibliography and type material. Morphology was analyzed by means of optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Stevia mandonii is readily distinguished by its small size of 10-20 cm, rounded leaves and pappus formed by 9-17 bristles with presence of heterocarpy. A detailed morphological description, an illustration, a geographic distribution map, and a key to species of Stevia that occur in Jujuy are provided. The designation of a lectotype for the name Stevia mandonii is properly discussed.
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