Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 777 No. 3: 2 Oct. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-10-02
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.777.3.5
Page range: 272-282
Abstract views: 117
PDF downloaded: 5

A remarkable new Salvia (Lamiaceae) from the ecotonal vegetation surrounding the western Andean relict forests of Peru

Laboratorio de Florística; Departamento de Dicotiledóneas; Museo de Historia Natural - Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Av. Arenales 1256; Lima 11; Peru
Independent researcher Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina
Huarango Nature; Lima; Perú
Eudicots Calosphace endemic flora montane shrubland Zárate forest

Abstract

We describe and illustrate Salvia messii (Lamiaceae), a distinctive new species endemic to the Andes of central and southern Peru. Based on its restricted distribution, the species is here assessed as Endangered (EN). The discovery of S. messii in ecotonal shrublands surrounding the chain of western Andean relict forests provides evidence that this habitat represents an overlooked centre of plant endemism and diversification.

References

  1. Altamirano, T.A., de Zwaan, D.R., Ibarra, J.T., Wilson, S. & Martin, K. (2020) Treeline ecotones shape the distribution of avian species richness and functional diversity in south temperate mountains. Scientific Reports 10 (1): 18428. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75470-2
  2. Bachman, S., Moat, J., Hill, A.W., de la Torre, J. & Scott, B. (2011) Supporting Red List threat assessments with GeoCAT: geospatial conservation assessment tool. ZooKeys 150: 117–126. https://doi.org/10.3897/ZOOKEYS.150.2109
  3. Backeberg, C. & Knuth, F. (1936) “Kaktus-ABC.” Nordisk Forlag, Copenhagen, 432 pp.
  4. Bentham, G. (1832–1836) Labiatarum genera et species. James Ridgway & Sons, London, 783 pp.
  5. Bentham, G. (1848) Ordo CL. Labiatae. In: De Candolle, A. (Ed.) Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis 12. Victor Masson, Paris, pp. 27–603.
  6. Bentham, G. (1876) Ordo CXXVI. Labiatae. In: Bentham, G. & Hooker, J.D. (Eds.) Genera plantarum: ad exemplaria imprimis in Herberiis Kewensibus servata definite 2. Spottiswoode & Co., Londres, pp. 1160–1223.
  7. Briquet, J.I. (1896) Fragmenta monografiae Labiatarum. Bulletin de l’Herbier Boissier 4: 847–878.
  8. Bueno, M.L., Rezende, V.L., Pontara, V. & de Oliveira-Filho, A.T. (2017) Floristic distributional patterns in a diverse ecotonal area in South America. Plant Ecology 218 (10): 1171–1186. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11258-017-0759-1
  9. Cano, A. & Valencia, N. (1992) Composición florística de los bosques nublados secos de la vertiente occidental de los Andes peruanos. Memorias del Museo de Historia Natural UNMSM 21: 171–180.
  10. Chávez-Corcuera, G., Gonzáles, P. & Fernandez-Hilario, R. (2024) Malesherbia anxia (Passifloraceae, Malesherbioideae), una nueva especie para los Andes centrales de Perú. Brittonia 76: 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1007/S12228-024-09792-0
  11. Cuatrecasas, J. (1960) Studies on Andean compositae-IV. Brittonia 12: 182–195. https://doi.org/10.2307/2805052
  12. Epling, C. (1935–1937) Synopsis of the South American Labiatae. Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis 81: 1–341.
  13. Epling, C. (1939) A revision of Salvia, subgenus Calosphace. Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis 110: 1–380.
  14. Gmelin, J.F. (1791) Systema vegetabilium II. Bernuset, Delamollière, Falque & Soc., London, 1661 pp.
  15. Gonzáles, P., Castañeda, E., Huamán, E., Aparco, W., Prieto, B.E., Salvador, J., Juárez, Y. josé, Cusi, J.C., Olivera, D., Vilca, Y., Opisso, J., Cano, A. & Valencia, N. (2024) Flora and fauna of the Huarimayo forest (Canta, Lima-Peru): A little remnant area with high biodiversity. Arnaldoa 31: 39–84.
  16. González-Gallegos, J.G., Bedolla-García, B.Y., Cornejo-Tenorio, G., Fernández-Alonso, J.L., Fragoso-Martínez, I., García-Peña, M.D.R., Harley, R.M., Klitgaard, B., Martínez-Gordillo, M.J., Wood, J.R.I., Zamudio, S., Zona, S. & Xifreda, C.C. (2020) Richness and distribution of Salvia subg. Calosphace (Lamiaceae). International Journal of Plant Sciences 181: 831–856. https://doi.org/10.1086/709133
  17. González-Gallegos, J.G., Roncal-Rabanal, M. & Uría, R. (2023) Salvia cajamarcana (Lamiaceae), a new species from Cajamarca Department, Peru, and lectotypification of S. revoluta. Phytotaxa 597: 15–27. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.597.1.3
  18. González-Gallegos, J.G., Uría, R. & Rodríguez-Rodríguez, E.F. (2024) Salvia gibbosa, S. gracilicaulis and S. ruizii (Lamiaceae), three new species from Peru. Phytotaxa 672 (3): 255–266. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.672.3.3
  19. Hooker, W.J. & Arnott, G.W. (1835) P. jungioides. In: Hooker, W.J. (Ed.) Companion of the Botanical Magazine vol. 1. E. Couchman, London, 384 pp.
  20. IUCN (2024) Guidelines for using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 16. Standards and Petitions Committee. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, United Kingdom. Available from: https://www.iucnredlist.org/documents/RedListGuidelines.pdf (accessed 14 August 2026)
  21. Kark, S. (2013) Effects of Ecotones on Biodiversity. In: Levin, S.A. (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Biodiversity: Second Edition. Elsevier, Oxford, pp. 142–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-384719-5.00234-3
  22. Kark, S. & van Rensburg, B.J. (2007) Ecotones: marginal or central areas of transition? Israel Journal of Ecology and Evolution 52: 29–53. https://doi.org/10.1560/ijee.52.1.29
  23. King, R.M. & Robinson, H. (1972) Studies in the Eupatorieae (Asteraceae). CXI. Additions to the genus Ophryosporus. Phytologia 25: 65–67.
  24. Mabberley, D.J. (2017) Mabberley’s plant-book: a portable dictionary of plants, their classification and uses. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1102 pp. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316335581
  25. McBride, J.F. (1960) Lamiaceae Juss., mint family. Field Museum of Natural History, Botanical Series 13: 721–829.
  26. Moein, F., Jamzad, Z., Rahiminejad, M., Landis, J.B., Mirtadzadini, M., Soltis, D.E. & Soltis, P.S. (2023) Towards a global perspective for Salvia L.: phylogeny, diversification and floral evolution. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 36: 589–604. https://doi.org/10.1111/JEB.14149
  27. Paucar, A.G. (2010) Salvia hunzikeri (Lamiaceae), una nueva especie de los Andes del Perú. Revista Peruana de Biología 17: 151–154. https://doi.org/10.15381/rpb.v17i2.19
  28. Ruiz, H. & Pavón, J. (1798) Flora Peruviana, et Chilensis. G. de Sancha, Madrid, 86 pp.
  29. Sagástegui Alva, A., Rodríguez Rodríguez, E.F., San Martín, J. & Eric Rodríguez Rodríguez, E.F. (2012) Una nueva especie de Salvia (Lamiaceae) del Norte de Perú. Revista Peruana de Biología 19: 139–142. https://doi.org/10.15381/RPB.V19I2.832
  30. Valencia, N. (1990) Ecology of the forests on the western slopes of the Peruvian Andes. PhD dissertation. University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, pp. 267.
  31. Valencia, N. (1992) Los bosques nublados secos de la vertiente occidental de los Andes del Perú. Memorias del Museo de Historia Natural UNMSM 21: 155–170.
  32. Wood, J.R.I. (2007) The salvias (Lamiaceae) of Bolivia. Kew Bulletin 62: 177–221.
  33. Wood, J.R.I. & Uría, R. (2021) Salvia celendina (Lamiaceae), a new species from Peru. Kew Bulletin 76: 421–425. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-021-09963-2

How to Cite

Gonzáles, P., Uría, R. & Capcha-Ramos, J. (2026) A remarkable new Salvia (Lamiaceae) from the ecotonal vegetation surrounding the western Andean relict forests of Peru. Phytotaxa 777 (3): 272–282. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.777.3.5