Bauhinia chicoi sp. nov. (Leguminosae: Cercidoideae): a new species from the Brazilian Cerrado domain

Bauhinia is the most diverse genus of Cercidoideae (Leguminosae), with important representation in open and seasonally dry environments in Brazil, especially in the Brazilian Cerrado, which is the domain with the highest number of species in the country. During the preparation of taxonomic treatment for the genus from the Brazilian Cerrado, specimens from western Bahia and southeastern Tocantins that had previously been identified as Bauhinia dubia or considered morphologically related to Bauhinia acuruana were recognized as belonging to a distinct and previously undescribed species. To recollect it, a field expedition was carried out in western Bahia in March 2026, based on geographic coordinates available on labels from previous collections. Additionally, the specimens of Bauhinia deposited at HUEFS, as well as the virtual collections of the herbaria ALCB, BRBA, CEPEC, HURB, K, RB, UB, and UESC were reviewed. Bauhinia chicoi is a new species of shrub to small tree described and illustrated here. Additionally, we provide information on its distribution, conservation status, and morphological relationships with similar species, including a comparative table of the most similar species to facilitate the visualization of similarities and differences. Bauhinia chicoi is currently known only from the Brazilian Cerrado, in the states of Bahia and Tocantins, data that led to its preliminary conservation assessment as ‘Endangered'.