Abstract
A recent herbaria-based revision and botanical explorations in Guerrero, Mexico, resulted in the discovery of a new species of the genus Cosmos, named C. harkerae. The novelty belongs to C. sect. Discopoda and morphologically resembles C. longipetiolatus and C. sherffii. It differs from them by a combination of traits, including fusiform to subglobose tuberous roots, petiole longitude, leaf morphology, disk florets grouped together resembling a tube, and the cypsela color. All three species live in the Sierra Madre del Sur, but are not sympatric. Cosmos harkerae has been collected from five nearby locations and is classified as Critically Endangered category under IUCN criteria. Finally, a key for the identification of the species in C. sect. Discopoda is provided.
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