Studies inSolanumand related genera (6. New infrageneric taxa for the genusSolanumL. (Solanaceae)

The majority of the species of the genus Solanum L. can already be placed into infrageneric taxa (sections, subsections or unranked species groups) thanks to previous authors: DUNAL (1852); BITTER (1911–1923); SEITHE (1962); D'ARCY (1972, 1976); SYMON (1981); WHALEN (1984); CHILD (1983–1990); CARVALHO & SHEPHERD (1991) and others. It is still necessary, however, to find suitable infrageneric taxa to accommodate many other species already known and described. Four new sections are here diagnosed and described: for Subgenus Solanum : Section Diamonon ; for Subgenus Potatoe : Sections Californisolanum and Taeniotrichum and for Subgenus Brevantherum : Section Stellatigeminatum. In addition two unranked taxa of the Subgenus Leptostemonum (the S. oocarpum and S. schulzianum species groups) are appended. Nine new taxa are recognized at subsectional or sectional rank, replacing existing groups previously without formal ranking or else of revised status: in Subgenus Solanum : Subsections Campanulisolanum (BITTER) CHILD and Nitidum (KNAPP) CHILD; in Subgenus Brevantherum : Subsection Cliocarpus (MIERS) CHILD and in Subgenus Leptostemonum : Subsection Multispinum (WHALEN) CHILD and Sections Giganteiformia (BITTER) CHILD; Polygamum (G. DON) CHILD; Erythrotrichum (WHALEN) CHILD; Polytrichum (WHALEN) CHILD and Crinitum (WHALEN) CHILD. The Type species and those other species which seem to fit the relevant taxon are named.