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| Pinguicula tonalaensis López-Pérez & Zamudio, in López-Pérez, Zamudio, Rodríguez et Munguía-Lino, 2025. |
Abstract
Background: Mexico harbours the highest species richness of Pinguicula, with 54 species. Plants collected on gypsum soils in Oaxaca do not coincide with any known species.
Questions: Do plants collected represent a new species? What is its conservation status? How many Pinguicula gypsophytes are there in Mexico? How are they different? Where are they distributed?
Studied species: Pinguicula gypsophytes.
Study site and dates: Santo Domingo Tonalá, Oaxaca, Mexico, 2023-2024.
Methods: A morphological analysis and description were made based on herbarium specimens and living plants. We employed Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood to analyse the regions rpl32-trnL, trnQ-rps16, and ITS to infer their phylogenetic position concerning similar species. The conservation status of the species was assessed following the IUCN Red List Criteria and Categories. Gypsophyte specimens of Pinguicula in Mexico were examined to construct a key. The species richness distribution of gypsophyte Pinguicula was analysed by state, physiographic provinces, and 1 × 1° cells.
Results: Pinguicula tonalaensis is proposed as new species distinguished by linear-lanceolate summer leaves, geniculate corolla tube, and without propagules in the apex of summer leaves. Pinguicula tonalaensis is sister of the clade P. heterophylla-P. medusina and together form a monophyletic group. Pinguicula tonalaensis is Critically Endangered. There are 10 gypsophytes of Pinguicula in Mexico. Nuevo León and the Sierra Madre Oriental are the richest. The location of the cell richest coincide with these.
Conclusions: The morphology and phylogenetic hypothesis support Pinguicula tonalaensis as new species. This increasing the taxonomic richness of Pinguicula in Mexico to 55.
Keywords: carnivorous plants , Mexican Transition Zone, Oaxaca, Pinguicula diversification, gypsum soils
Pinguicula tonalaensis López-Pérez & Zamudio sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Pinguicula tonalaensis shares winter and summer leaf forms and size with P. medusina. The geniculate corolla tube and the lack of apical propagules on the summer leaves set P. tonalaensis apart.
Jorge David López-Pérez, Sergio Zamudio, Aarón Rodríguez and Guadalupe Munguía-Lino. 2025. A New Species and Species Richness Distribution of the Gypsophyte Butterworts (Pinguicula, Lentibulariaceae) in Mexico. Botanical Sciences 103(3). DOI: doi.org/10.17129/botsci.3657
https://botanicalsciences.com.mx/index.php/botanicalSciences/article/view/3657
