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| Gomphrena caxcana Sandoval-Ortega, Rodríguez-Pérez & Zumaya-Mendoza, in Sandoval-Ortega, Rodríguez-Pérez et Zumaya-Mendoza, 2025. |
Abstract
Gomphrena caxcana (Amaranthaceae), a new species from the states of Jalisco and Zacatecas (Mexico), is described. It is morphologically similar to G. serrata, but it can be distinguished by the fleshy perennial taproot (vs. fibrous usually annual root), the presence of adventitious roots at the base of the stems (vs. absence of adventitious roots), the length of bractlets (3–4 mm vs. 4.8–7.4 mm), and the structure of staminal tube (with two short apical lobules between anthers vs. a single apical lobule between anthers). The name Gomphrena decumbens is also discussed and lectotypified.
Caryophyllales, Gomphrenoideae, flora of Zacatecas, flora of Jalisco, Eudicots
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| Gomphrena caxcana, A. general view in habit, B. complete plant. |
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| Gomphrena caxcana. A. Inflorescence, B. Inflorescence detail, C. Flower enclosed by bractlets, D. Bractlets, E. Perianth, F. staminal tube surrounding the gynoecium, G. gynoecium, H. staminal tube surrounding the utricle with seed. |
Gomphrena caxcana Sandoval-Ortega, Rodríguez-Pérez & Zumaya-Mendoza sp. nov.
Diagnosis (Table 1):—Gomphrena caxcana differs from G. serrata Linnaeus (1753: 224), G. nealleyi Coulter & Fisher (1892: 349–350), and G. haageana Klotzsch (1853: 297–298) by the fleshy perennial taproot (vs. fibrous usually annual root in G. serrata), the presence of adventitious roots (vs. absence of adventitious roots in G. serrata, G. nealleyi, and G. haageana), the length of bractlets (3–4 mm vs. 4.8–7.4 mm in G. serrata, 5.0–7.0 mm in G. nealleyi, and 10–15 mm in G. haageana), the two external tepals slightly sclerotic at base (vs. all tepals sclerotic at base in G. serrata, G. nealleyi, and G. haageana), a differentiation between tepals (the 2 external tepals densely lanate on the midvein, the other 3 tepals sparsely pilose at the base vs. all tepals densely lanate except at the apex in G. serrata, G. nealleyi, and G. haageana), and the structure of staminal tube (with two short apical lobules between anthers vs. staminal tube with a single long apical lobule between anthers in G. serrata and G. haageana or two long apical lobules between anthers in G. nealleyi).
Etymology:— The new species is named after the Caxcanes, an indigenous group who inhabited the southern region of Zacatecas and surrounding areas of Jalisco (Mexico), during the pre-Hispanic era. They were part of the people known as Chichimecas by the Mexica.
Manuel Higinio SANDOVAL-ORTEGA, Emmeth Josafath RODRÍGUEZ-PÉREZ and Silvia ZUMAYA-MENDOZA. 2025. A new perennial species of Gomphrena (Amaranthaceae) from Mexico with nomenclatural notes on G. decumbens. Phytotaxa. 722(2); 125-131. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.722.2.2 [2025-10-14]
