New Species of Virola (Myristicaceae) from South America

Abstract

With about 70 species Virola, is the largest genus of Myristicaceae in the Neotropics, the genus ranked in the top ten genera of abundance across Amazonia. Ten new species are proposed in this striking genus, which are described based on morphology, and are illustrated. The new species were discovered thanks to herbarium specimens collected mainly in the 1980s and 1990s when field documentations were more active. The new species come from Colombia (V. calimensissp. nov., V. cogolloisp. nov., V. excisasp. nov., V. tuckeraesp. nov.), Ecuador (V. alvaropereziisp. nov., V. bombuscaroensissp. nov., V. calimensis, V. excisa, V. yasunianasp. nov.), Peru (V. aguarunanasp. nov., V. cumalasp. nov., V. excisa, V. parkerisp. nov.), and Brazil (V. excisa, V. yasuniana). Additionally, a lectotype is designated for V. macrocarpa, a name used to identify some specimens of the new species here described, and V. kwatae is reported for the first time for Brazil. We provide a comparation table between the new species and the species that is morphologically close to it, a preliminary list of species for the genus, and notes of how the new species were treated in floras, checklists, or collections that need more study and herbarium specimens.