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Anisocapparis and Monilicarpa: Two new genera of Capparaceae from South America

Abstract:

Two new South American genera of Capparaceae, both segregated from Capparis L, are described and illustrated herewith. Anisocapparis X Cornejo & H H. Iltis, characterized by having flowers with anisosepalous calyces, distinctively decussate-imbricate from young bud, floral nectaries of four dimorphic fleshy scales, pollen grains with a fine reticulate surface and strongly anisocotylary subglobose seeds, which have a compact major cotyledon and a very reduced or even totally suppressed minor cotyledon. Anisocapparis is a monotypic genus, ranging from Bolivia into adjacent parts of western Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina. It is represented by Anisocapparis speciosa (Griseb.) X. Cornejo & H H. Iltis, comb. nov., proposed for a very peculiar species herein transferred from Capparis s 1. The second genus herewith proposed is Monilicarpa X Cornejo & H.H. Iltis This is segregated by virtue of its frequent linear bracts to 13 mm at the base of the inflorescence peduncle, flowers with a gamosepalous calyx that contains a small hypanthium and a cupular or disciform nectary, onto the edges of which the petals are fused into, stamens with filaments inserted in two alternate whorls, pollen grains with a striato-reticulate surface and moniliform or linear-torulose fruits of narrowly-attenuate apex, containing a single row of ellipsoid small seeds, separated by a constriction of the fruit wall Monilicarpa comprises two species. Monilicarpa tenuisiliqua (Jacq.) X Cornejo & H.H Iltis, comb. nov., from northern Colombia and Venezuela, and Monilicarpa brasiliana (Banks ex DC.) X. Cornejo & H.H. Iltis, comb. nov., disjunct to E Brazil. The relationships of both new genera are discussed, and a key to the American genera of Capparaceae with simple leaves, glabrous or with a simple pubescence is also provided.