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Between extinction and uncertainty: Nomenclature revision of genus Dalea L. (Papilionoideae, Fabaceae) in Cajamarca, Peru
* 1, 2 , * 1, 2 , * 1, 2 , * 1, 3, 4
1  Department of Ethnobotany and Economic Botany, Museum of Natural History, Lima 15072, Peru
2  Faculty of Biological Sciences, National University of San Marcos, Lima 15081, Peru
3  School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, The United Kingdom
4  Acience Division, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, The United Kingdom
Academic Editor: Mathias Harzhauser

Published: 01 December 2025 by MDPI in The 1st International Online Conference on Taxonomy session Plant Taxonomy
Abstract:

Dalea L. is the only genus from the Amorpheae tribe distributed in the Peruvian Andes, where most of its species are endemic and endangered. The centre of diversity is within northern and central Andes mountain ranges converging with the Huancabamba Depression, a hotspot for cryptic plant diversity located in Cajamarca. Despite taxonomic studies conducted 40 years ago, morphological delimitations remain ambiguous due to phenotypic plasticity and the lack of type specimens, particularly among endemic taxa. This study aimed to assess morphological differentiation and carry out a nomenclatural revision of Dalea L. (13 species and 8 varieties) from the Cajamarcan Andes. As a result, we identifies 16 species in Cajamarca, based on distinctive morphological characters, including in stipule type; leaflet shape, pubescence density and number; inflorescence type; bract morphology; length of calyx distal tooth relative to its tube; number of glands per intercostal margin of the calyx; and fruit morphology. Nomenclatural changes were proposed for certain infraspecific taxa through their elevation to species rank, establishing: D. sericophylla Ulbr., D. cutervoana Szyszyl. and D. microphylla Kunth. The remainig varieties were reduced to synonymy under their respective species. Additionally, lectotypifications were carried out for the species D. myriadenia Ulbr., D. sericophylla Ulbr. and D. weberbaueri Ulbr., due to the loss of their holotypes which had been deposited at the Berlin Herbarium.

Keywords: Leguminosae; Andes; Amorpheae; endemic flora; taxonomy
Comments on this paper
Gustavo Mamani
Mr. Fernandez, good morning. Your work is interesting. In your nomenclatural review, how were the classifications carried out when the type is not mentioned in the protologue? Or, in other words, were there any cases similar to the one mentioned?
Ivan Fernandez
It´s a pleasure to greet you, Mr. Mamani. It´s an interesting question, given that some species, such as Dalea ayavacensis Kunth, lacked a mention of their type in their protologue; however, at the time of publication, it wasn´t strickly necessary to mention the botanical material. Takimg Dalea ayavacensis as an example, this species was described in Nova Genera et Species Plantarum, which mentions that the species belonged to the Humboldt and Bonpland collection. Therefore, it was verified that subsequent research carried out the respective lectotypings taking this historical information into account. I hope I have answered your question.



 
 
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