A new striking and critically endangered species of Nasa (Loasaceae, Cornales) from North Peru

Abstract

Nasaangeldiazioidessp. nov. is described and illustrated. The species is restricted to two forest remnants on the western slope of the northern Peruvian Andes (Dept. Lambayeque) where it is found in the undergrowth of primary forest. The new taxon shows a unique leaf morphology in the family Loasaceae. Molecular and morphological data show that the new species belongs to the Nasatriphylla group. Since the relic forests of the north-western Andes are increasingly threatened by the effects of climate change, i.e. droughts and wildfires, the new species already faces imminent extinction.

Pinguicula rosmarieae Casper, Bussmann & T.Henning (Lentibulariaceae), a new butterwort from the Amotape-Huancabamba Zone (northern Peru)

“…4, for details see: Weigend 2002Weigend , 2004). Many plant groups have a centre of diversity here (Weigend et al 2005;Struwe et al 2009;Deanna et al 2018) and show a concentrated occurrence of narrow-endemic taxa in that region (Berry 1982;Ayers 1999;Weigend 2002;Weigend 2009, 2009a;Henning et al 2019). While the vegetation and flora of the inner-Andean valleys and the western slopes are relatively well-investigated, the eastern flanks of the Cordillera Central facing Amazonia are still under-collected in many areas.…”

A new species of Utricularia Sect. Orchidioides (Lentibulariaceae) from the Amotape-Huancabamba Zone of North Peru

“…100 × 200 m. The number of plants is difficult to assess due to the topology of the sites, but it is estimated to be a few hundred individuals. Anthropogenic pressure on the remaining vulnerable Andean habitats is constantly growing: agriculture, mining activities, and urban sprawl (Weigend et al, 2005b(Weigend et al, , 2006Henning et al, 2019). Moreover, the impact of climate change shows increasing negative effects in that region.…”

When the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence: Nasa (Loasaceae) rediscoveries from Peru and Ecuador, and the contribution of community science networks

“…25 years (e.g. Henning et al 2019). Many of the species described during the 19 th and the first half of the 20 th century remained enigmatic -only known from the type collection or from a very limited number of often poorly preserved specimens.…”