Abstract
A taxonomic revision of the Mexican and Central American members of Symplocos is presented. Thirty two species are recognized for the region. Two of the species belong to Symplocos sect. Hopea, and 30 are members of S. sect. Symplocos series Symplocos. The species of S. ser. Symplocos are easily distinguished from those of S. sect. Hopea by their connate petals that are adnate to the androecium distinctly beyond the base (versus connate and adnate at the base only), and filaments that are tangentially flattened in cross section and apically constricted (versus terete and not apically constricted). Of the 32 recognized species, ten are endemic to Mexico, 13 are endemic to Central America, two are shared between Central America and South America, seven are shared between Mexico and Central America, and one is shared among Mexico, Central America, and Cuba. One new species, S. nigridentata, is described from Mexico, and lectotypifications or neotypifications are provided for S. coccinea, S. coccinea var. hirta, S. costaricana, S. hartwegii, S. hartwegii var. opaca, S. limoncillo, S. prionophylla, S. pycnantha, S. schiedeana, S. serrulata, S. speciosa, and S. tomentosa. The revision includes keys, full synonymy, descriptions, illustrations for those species not already illustrated elsewhere, distribution maps and assignment of conservation status for all species, and a complete list of exsiccatae.