Nomenclatural Type Identification of Names in North African Tamarix (Tamaricaceae)

Abstract

Tamarix is native to Eurasia plus the northern and southern territories of Africa, with some species being introduced into America and Oceania. They are usually found in arid, desertic, or subdesertic areas, often on saline or subsaline soils, in Mediterranean, temperate, or subtropical climates. The genus is renowned for its complex taxonomy, which is usually based on rather variable or unstable characters, which leads to contrasting taxonomic treatments. As part of the taxonomic revision of Tamarix undertaken by the authors, ten names (i.e., T. africana, T. bounopoea, T. brachystylis var. fluminensis, T. malenconiana, T. muluyana, T. tenuifolia, T. tingitana, T. trabutii, T. valdesquamigera, and T. weyleri) published from material collected in the southwestern parts of the Mediterranean basin are taxonomically and nomenclaturally discussed after analysing their original material. Eight intended holotypes are corrected here to lectotypes; one epitype is designated for T. africana to warrant current use of the name; and one isotype, 30 isolectotypes, and 11 syntypes are also identified for the studied names. Further, the taxonomic identity of all names and their eventual synonymic placement are accordingly discussed.