Open AccessThe typification and characterization of the genus Psychotria L. (Rubiaceae)
Author(s) -
DAVIS AARON P.,
BRIDSON DIANE,
JARVIS CHARLES,
GOVAERTS RAFAËL
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
botanical journal of the linnean society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.872
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1095-8339
pISSN - 0024-4074
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8339.2001.tb02366.x
Subject(s) - psychotria , rubiaceae , typification , biology , botany , herbarium , genus , tribe , sensu stricto , type (biology) , taxonomy (biology) , nomenclature , zoology , ecology , sociology , anthropology
The taxonornic history of Psychotria asiatica L., the type species of the genus Psychotria L., is introduced and discussed in. detail. For the first time, the name P. asiaticu is unambiguously linked with wild populations of Psychotria from south‐east China, allowing critical morphological characteristics and geographical distribution of Psychotria sensu stricto to be known. A full description of P. asiatica is given and representative herbarium specimens are cited. The importance and implications of identifying living representatives that match the type species of Psychotria are briefly discussed. One significant finding of this study is that P. asiatica has pyrenes with preformed germination slits (PGSs), the absence of which has been used by some workers to separate Psychotria from other members of the tribe Psychotrieae.