Taxonomy of Spermacoce eryngioides (Rubiaceae) and transference of Borreria section Pseudodiodia to Spermacoce.

Abstract

Taxonomy of Spermacoce eryngioides (Rubiaceae) and transference of Borreria section Pseudodiodia to Spermacoce. Spermacoce eryngioides was considered in the last 20 years as part of genus Borreria with the varieties affinis, eryngioides, and ostenii. In this work, floral, carpological, seminal and pollen microcharacters were analyzed, and ecological and distributional features were performed to assess the taxonomic status of these three varieties. On the other hand, the taxonomical situation of Borreria section Pseudodiodia was analyzed. As a result, two varieties of S. eryngioides were elevated to species level as S. hassleri and S. ostenii. In addition, Borreria section Pseudodiodia was considered as a new synonym of genus Spermacoce, a list of 16 transferred species to Spermacoce was included and a lectotype for the name S. suberecta was designated.