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Issue: Vol. 725 No. 3: 24 Oct. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-10-24
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.725.3.1
Page range: 223-230
Abstract views: 336
PDF downloaded: 468

A new Olmeca (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Bambuseae) species endemic to Veracruz, Mexico

Departamento de Botánica y Zoología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara, Camino Ing. Ramón Padilla Sánchez 2100, Nextipac, Zapopan, Jalisco, 45200, Mexico; Laboratorio Nacional de Identificación y Caracterización Vegetal (LaniVeg), Instituto de Botánica, Universidad de Guadalajara, Camino Ing. Ramón Padilla Sánchez 2100, Nextipac, Zapopan, Jalisco, 45200, Mexico
Independent researcher, C. Hortencia 297, Coapexpan, Xalapa-Enriquez, Veracruz, 91057, Mexico
bacoid fruits Chiapas Guaduinae Honduras montane cloud forest Monocots

Abstract

Olmeca, with five described species, is one of six genera in the subtribe Guaduinae. Three Olmeca species inhabit montane cloud forests, while the other two are found in tropical rainforests. Most Olmeca species produce a typical (basic) caryopsis, but O. recta and O. reflexa form bacoid (fleshy) caryopses. Morphologically, all described Olmeca species develop one branch per node. In this study, we describe a new Olmeca species, characterized by having three to four branches per node and an unique combination of morphological traits. We provide a detailed description of this new species, along with a distribution map, photographs, and a morphological key to the species of Olmeca. With the description of this new Olmeca species, the genus now comprises six species, five of them endemic to Mexico, and contributes to Mexico’s remarkable woody bamboo diversity with a total of 61 woody bamboo species, 44 of them endemic.

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How to Cite

Ruiz-Sanchez, E. & Marinero-Sobal, E.J. (2025) A new Olmeca (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Bambuseae) species endemic to Veracruz, Mexico. Phytotaxa 725 (3): 223–230. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.725.3.1